Nothing But a Pirate
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: This story takes place during season three, directly after the episode, Dark Hollow. Everyone sees Hook as nothing, but a pirate and with good reason. Hook is a pirate and the worst of them. However, he has struggled to prove to Emma and the others that he's more, having become hurt by their harsh accusations. Unfortunately, Pan appears again and Hook's life is soon put in danger.
1. Chapter 1

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter One

Centuries ago in Neverland…

After Hook threw the magic bean into the ocean to open a portal to pass through into Neverland, the Jolly Roger landed once again within the waters that surrounded an enchanted island which the ship's Captain had been to years ago and had vowed never return to. However, circumstances changed and like the world that lay before the pirates now once had light until the evils that were of Pan's doing had come to surround Neverland in complete darkness, Hook too had come to be a dark villain as he had become consumed with hate and a dangerous thirst for revenge on the monster who had murdered his first love, then cut off and stole his hand. Though Hook knew the demon child that ruled Neverland was partly to blame for his brother's death, returning to Neverland was the lesser of two evils, as it was his only chance to find a way to kill Rumpelstiltskin.

Killian stared ahead as they neared, while his newest deckhand who would eventually come to be his loyal first mate walked up behind his Captain as he spoke up with awe saying, "So this is Neverland? It's the most amazing place I've ever seen."

Hook's eyes darkened and then he responded, "You won't see it as such after you've been on this cursed island for a few hours. I'm taking a boat and rowing ashore. Tell the men to drop anchor and settle my ship, then gather together our supplies. Meet up with me in a few hours time."

"But Sir…" Smee started to object as he looked to the pirates' leader, until Hook's glare made him fear his choice to do so. "Where… where are you going? Is going off on your own really such a good idea?"

"Need I remind you who the Captain here is, and who's nothing more than the pitiful man I spared the life of when I should have made you walk the plank like many others before you?" Hook answered cruelly. "You will do as I say, Mr. Smee. Or you will feel the end of my hook inside your chest just as I did to the Dark One. I may have failed to kill him, but you're not immortal."

The small man wearing his red knit cap nodded and bowed, then replied nervously, "Yes of course, Captain Sir. I will pass along your orders right away."

The villain watched the man walk away, then took a boat to shore as he said would and as he arrived upon the land like he had done back when he and Liam had arrived there, it wasn't long before Pan appeared behind him as the devious boy said callously, "Well Leftenant, I must say that this is indeed a surprise to see you've returned to my island. I didn't think you would after you lost your poor Captain. I also see that you've changed sides. The new look suits you much better than that of the uniform you used to wear while under your ruthless King's rule. Finally saw the truth did you, Killian? That he wasn't a man of honor as you believed him to be?"

"It's no longer Leftenant," Hook responded with anger as he slowly turned around to face Peter once again. "And it's not Killian Jones anymore either. That man died the day my brother did. It's Captain Hook now."

"Yes, I see you've gained a hook in place of your left hand," Peter answered smugly. "It's put a fire in your eyes. I would certainly like to hear that story, but perhaps another time. What exactly has brought you back?"

Killian continued to glare at the demon as he replied, "I've come for answers. I need to bide myself time so that I can discover a way to kill the bloody Dark One."

Pan smiled and responded, "I think I can help you with that. But my help comes with a price, just like the magic of this world has a price, as I tried to warn you once before. If you want to learn how you can kill your newest enemy, you will become indebted to me and will now be in my services for as long as I see fit, or you will suffer as your brother suffered if you choose to defy me again."

"I didn't defy you before!" Hook shouted furiously as he suddenly pulled his cutlass and aimed it at the boy's throat. "You disappeared before I could ask you what you desired of me. I was ready to offer you anything to save Liam's life, but I couldn't find you. You never told us that the price of the water was that we couldn't ever leave."

"You should have searched harder," the boy stated with a sneer. "He might be alive if you had. It's a real shame indeed, but then I see you're the one with the real potential. What do you say, Captain? Will you work for me? Be in my employ and do my dirty work for me."

Hook clenched his jaw in frustration as he loathed the idea of working for the demon who was partially to blame for his brother's death, even if he truly blamed himself as well as the King of his own land, then he answered coldly, "I will. But only in exchange for what I ask of you in return."

Peter Pan smiled as he replied smugly, "Then welcome home, Hook."

Present day…

 _"What was that about?" Emma asked curtly while Hook stood back and looked away from her._

 _"I assumed he'd heard my secret," Hook responded in frustration after he exhaled deeply, then finally turned to the woman standing before him. "And I also assumed that you'd told him of our shared moment."_

 _She glared at him as she questioned, "Why would you assume that?"_

 _The Captain answered with yearning, "Because I was hoping it meant something."_

 _"What meant something was that you told us Neal was still alive," the Savior replied sincerely while Hook simply nodded. "Thank you. I realized you could've kept Pan's information to yourself."_

 _"Why would I have done that?" he asked firmly, frustrated that she thought that he would keep such valuable information to himself._

 _Emma shook her head as she responded, "I don't know. Maybe Pan offered you a deal? Why else would he tell you?"_

 _With a bitterness in his voice, Hook continued, "It was a test. He wanted to see if I'd leave an old friend to die... even if the old friend happens to be vying for the same woman that I am."_

 _"And you chose your friend," she answered with astonishment._

 _"Does that surprise you?" Killian enquired again._

 _As if to imply that he was selfish because of what he was, Emma replied sternly, "You are a pirate."_

 _Hurt by her accusation, the pirate stared at her for a moment before he bowed his head, then stepped closer to her so that they were only inches apart as he responded quietly, "Yeah, that I am. But I also believe in good form. So when I win your heart, Emma... and I will win it... it will not be because of any trickery. It will be because you want me."_

 _"This is not a contest, Hook," she whispered nervously._

 _"Isn't it?" he simply retorted. "You're gonna have to choose, Emma. You realize that, don't you? Because neither one of us is gonna give up."_

 _The Savior objected as she answered firmly, "The only thing I have to choose is the best way to get my son back."_

 _Killian stared into her eyes as he replied confidently, "And you will."_

 _"You think so?" she asked worryingly, while staring into his as well as if to look for any signs of deception in them._

 _"I have yet to see you fail," Hook continued assuredly. "And when you do succeed... well, that's when the fun begins."_

 _All of a sudden, Neal called out again from the distance, "Guys!"_

 _Baelfire walked back to them as he handed Emma his cutlass again, glaring at Hook while he added, "I think I found it."_

"We need to talk," Neal spoke curtly as he fell back from the others to walk alongside Hook while Emma, her parents, and Tinker Bell walked on ahead, interrupting Killian's thoughts of his last conversation with Emma until Neal had interrupted him then too, while he walked on his own behind everyone to escape from the Savior's anger over his petty fight with the other man in her life.

"Aye," the pirate responded quietly, without turning his head to look at the younger man he once cared for long ago. "I suppose we do. If it's any consolation, I never meant for anything to come between Emma and me. It just happened."

Baelfire swiftly used his own cutlass to cut down several branches in their path ahead of them and then answered, "That's just it. Nothing really did happen between you and Emma, Hook. She was afraid for our son and grieving my death. You just happened to be someone there for her to talk to. If she was angry about something in that moment, she could have just as well as slapped you in the face or run you through with my sword if she wanted to. That kiss you two shared, it didn't mean anything. At least not to her it didn't."

Killian stopped and looked over at him as he replied, "And you think you know this? How? Perhaps it's more jealously and your hate for me making you wish that what we shared was nothing. Believe me, if you and Emma were together before you supposedly died, or if she told me that she chose you, then I would back off. However, she hasn't chosen either one of us and therefore… she's fair game. You had your chance with her and you blew it, Mate."

"I won't let you steal Emma away from me like you did my mother, you selfish bastard," Neal responded angrily as he suddenly shoved Hook hard up against a tree, causing him to gasp in pain as his back hit before Killian looked into the younger man's eyes. "Or our son either. We both know that as soon as this mission's done, that once Henry's been saved and we're all back home safe and sound in Storybrooke, you'll be right back to trying to kill my father because you and I both know that revenge is all you really care about. Emma and the others will see that too. They'll all see that you're nothing, but a pirate."

"You're right," Killian answered sadly, as Neal shoved him again until he finally released his hold on the Captain. "You're right. Even though Milah did wish to come with me, I did steal her away from you. I never wanted to break apart a family, just as I don't wish to break Emma's heart. I know what I did was wrong, but I tried to make it up to you. I would give anything to change what I did, rather than hand you over to Pan and the Lost Boys as I did. That was selfish of me to do. But now I am doing just that. I am trying to make it up to you by helping you to save your son."

Neal scoffed and replied, "You're not doing it for me, but for Emma. Because you think that by saving Henry, it will get her to fall in love with you. But you're wrong. She's not weak like my mother was. Stay away from Emma and when we return home, stay away from my son as well."

Hook looked at Neal sadly and then walked away from him, just as Tinker Bell walked out from behind a tree in front of him as she said quietly, "You're wrong about him, Bae."

"Tink," he responded with frustration as she had eavesdropped on their conversation. "I thought you were walking ahead with Emma, David, and Mary Margaret."

"I was, until I sensed no one walking behind me like you and Hook were before you stopped to have your stupid argument," the Green Fairy answered. "I may not know anything about what happened between you and Hook, but he isn't the same man he was back when he was working for Pan. Hook and I haven't always gotten along and he may be a pirate, but he's different now. He's changed for the better."

Neal shook his head as he responded, "No he hasn't. He's trying to steal Emma away from me. That makes him no different than the bastard he was when I first met him years ago. Our business isn't any of yours, so just stay out of it."

As Neal continued walking, Tinker Bell kept beside him as she answered, "Fine. But don't let your anger toward him blind you."

"Why not?" he asked curtly.

"Because… you may regret it as he clearly regrets allowing his own anger blind him toward your own feelings all those years ago," the fairy replied fearfully. "Trouble is coming, Bae. Be careful about what you say or do from here on out."


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Two

When everyone stopped to rest again as they neared Pan's camp thanks to Tinker Bell's guidance, Hook walked passed the others in order to keep his distance from them, not caring to be around anyone as he knew what they all thought of him. He would always be pirate in their eyes and nothing more. That truth never used to bother him, or at least he pretended it didn't until Emma had walked into his life and had begun to change him, slowly turning him back into the man he liked to believe he might have been when his brother was alive, before the Dark One made him Captain Hook.

"What's gotten into him?" David asked as Hook walked by him and everyone else crossly. "Did something happen when you three went off the capture Pan's shadow?"

"You could say that," Neal answered curtly as he looked over at Emma, who simply glared back at him until she turned to her parents.

She continued to explain as she said with frustration, "It's nothing really. Neal and Hook just chose a poor time to argue over something trivial. I've put them both in their place."

Tinker Bell looked nervously between the woman she saw was the reason for the change in the pirate and her old friend from years ago, then she changed the subject as she stated, "I think we still have the element of surprise on our side, but if we're really going to attack Pan and the Lost Boys, we could use a bit more help. We could use some magical help I mean. Where is Regina?"

"That's a good question," Mary Margaret replied sternly. "She became impatient and ran off to try something on her own. I hope she hasn't gotten herself in trouble."

"I'm sure she's fine," David responded as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders as if to reassure her. "Regina can take care of herself. If she isn't here, that's her own fault. But we can't wait for her to come back. We're here now."

Emma looked back over at Neal again as she asked, "So we have Pan's shadow, but exactly what is the plan? How will it help us to get Henry back and stop Pan? Surely it won't do anything for us, especially with Pan there to control it."

Baelfire smiled as he stared at the coconut in his hand and answered, "His shadow's going to be our bargaining chip. It's what gave him most of his power in the first place. Without it, his power is weak. He'll do anything to get it back, including giving Henry up. So long as we have it trapped, Peter won't hurt us."

"What about the Lost Boys?" Tink questioned. "Pan might not be able to strike against us, but they can and he'll use them to do so and get his shadow back."

"Don't worry," Neal replied again. "So long as Pan knows that we'll burn his shadow if they threaten us, he will order them to stay back. Why don't we all take some time to rest before we attack. I want Henry back, but we'll be of no help to him if Pan sees how exhausted we all are. Hopefully by then, either Regina or my father will arrive in time to help us."

David looked between his daughter and the father of his grandson as he responded, "Is that really smart, so close to Pan's camp? Surely they'll find us here if we stay for too long and then we'll lose our element of surprise."

Emma shook her head as she spoke up with anger saying, "We don't have time to rest. I want to save my son and get the hell out of here."

"Which we will," Snow answered calmly as she walked over to stand in front of her daughter. "But you know that we can't just rush into this, Emma. Neal's right. We need to be smart about this rescue and if we go in there now, we'll lose again. Then saving Henry will become even harder for us. Hopefully Regina or Gold will find us soon and then we'll have even more of an advantage over them."

The Savior who felt more like a lost girl nodded sadly, then watched her mother and father walk over to a log lying nearby as they sat down, as did the Green Fairy. She then turned to Neal, who set down the pack he was carrying and began to rummage through it, carefully setting the coconut down beside him as he did so.

"So, what exactly were you talking to Hook about while we were walking earlier?" the blonde woman whom Neal still loved sternly asked. "He seemed pretty upset just now."

"It doesn't matter," he replied in frustration, without turning his head around to look at her. "It isn't important. I only told him something he needed to hear."

Emma crossed her arms as she responded, "Let me guess. You told him to stay away from me?"

Neal sighed, knowing that he couldn't hide the truth from her, then he answered, "I told him that he has no business pursuing you."

"I have no interest in Hook, but it's my decision whether or not I chose to be with anyone," she replied curtly as he finally turned around to look at her. "I don't appreciate you thinking that you have any choice in the matter."

"I was only trying to look out for you," Bae responded in frustration. "You don't know the kind of man he really is. Did he ever tell you the truth about Milah? Did he happen to mention that she was my mother?"

Emma stared at him as if in shock as she asked, "Milah was… She was your mother? She was Gold's wife?"

Neal scoffed and answered, "I thought not. That's right. At least she was both those things until Hook stole her away from us both. I'm not defending my father. After all he did kill my mother. I hate him even more for finding out that he was the reason why she couldn't come back for me. But Hook was the reason why she left me in the first place. He tore apart our family."

"We fell in love," Hook said sadly, stepping back out into the opening from deeper within the woods in order to defend himself against Neal's accusations for Emma, after he had listened to their conversation from a safe distance until he couldn't stay out of it any longer. "As I've tried to tell Bae… Neal more than once, I never wanted to break them apart. I never meant to steal her away from her son, but she was miserable with Rumpelstiltskin and at first I didn't know she even had a son. Rumpelstiltskin was a coward and Milah longed for adventure. We wanted to come back for Bae, but… but the Crocodile made that impossible. However, I still wanted to make good on those plans when Baelfire came into my life a few years later. But I was a fool and I let my hate for his father get the better of me. I tried to keep him under my protection at first despite being in Pan's services, but when Bae shunned me, I handed him over to the Lost Boys when Pan learned that a new boy abandoned by his parents had arrived here in Neverland. I don't blame Neal for not trusting me, for hating me. I hated myself for making that decision. But Emma, I'm here because I want to try to correct my past mistakes and help you both to save your son. Take that for what you will. I hope that you can at least trust me enough to allow me to help you. And if that's all you want from me, then as soon as I get you all back to Storybrooke, I'll sail out of your lives forever."

"Hook wait!" Emma called out with worry as he stormed away again, completely leaving them alone this time, not even sticking close by so that he could eavesdrop like he had done before, then she turned back to Neal. "All right, I understand why you're having a hard time with Hook being here. But whatever your issues with him are, Neal… you really need to push them aside until we save our son and get back home. We need Hook's help whether you want to believe that or not. He's gotten us this far and I trust him enough to help us, until he gives me a reason not to and so far he hasn't. Hook saved David's life after he became poisoned by dreamshade during an attack. And he saved yours too."

Neal looked at her again with confusion as he asked, "What are you talking about?"

She walked over to sit down beside her parents as she replied, "Pan came to Hook and told him that you were still alive. He wanted to see if Hook was still selfish enough to leave you to die, knowing how Hook feels about me. He didn't have to tell us, but he did. And it isn't just because he cares about me. He cares about you too. Hook also told us how to save you once we found you in Echo Cave. If you won't set aside your hate for him, do it for me and Henry. Is that understood?"

"You're right," the man who also loved her responded. "I'll go see if I can find him, to at least get him back here so we can plan our next move. I'm sorry, Emma."

"What was all that about?" Mary Margaret asked her daughter after Neal left as she and David were talking amongst themselves while Emma, Neal, and Hook were talking a few minutes ago.

David added, "What going on with them?"

She let out a sigh of frustration as she answered curtly, "It doesn't matter right now."

"Okay," David replied. "What about what happened earlier while you three were off catching Pan's shadow?"

"Nothing happened," the Savior quickly responded, though it was obvious to the others she was lying. "Hook thought that Neal had heard his secret inside Echo Cave and so naturally he brought it up and ever since then, they've been fighting over me like petty children. I told them I wasn't interested in either one of them because the only love I have room for in my life is Henry."

Mary Margaret tried to convince her daughter how wrong she was as she stated, "You don't have to put off love, Emma. Maybe now isn't a good time, but when we return home if you and Neal…"

Emma suddenly interrupted, "Me and Neal? There is no me and Neal. Not anymore there isn't. I care for him and he is the father of my son, but Neal broke my heart years ago when he left me and let me take the fall for the crimes we committed together. I don't think I can just get past that. And as for Hook and me… Well, that's just ridiculous. We shared a kiss. But Hook is a pirate and a villain. I know he's not the Captain Hook we know from the movies and that he's really trying to be a better man. But I can't ever fully trust him not to break my heart after all the terrible things he's done. Besides, after all this is over, he'll probably go back to trying to kill Gold. I want nothing to do with him if revenge is what's most important to him."

"Of course you don't," David answered crossly, hating the idea that she even considered the possibility that she and Hook could ever be something more than whatever it was they were now.

"David, that's enough," Mary Margaret replied, encouraging her husband to keep his contempt for Hook inside.

Tinker Bell spoke again saying, "I'm sure both Hook and Neal will be able to put their differences aside. They know what's at stake."

Emma responded quietly, "I know they do."


	3. Chapter 3

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Three

Hook didn't go far after he left the others. But he needed to get away from them and their condescending glances, especially with Neal and Emma both being so angry at him. Not that he could blame them. As far as he was concerned, they were right to be angry. He had hurt Neal badly years ago and nearly cost them their chance to save their son now. At least he could rationalize it and say he wasn't the only one at fault for that, as Neal messed up too. However, it didn't make him feel any better.

When he stopped, Hook leaned up against a tree and pulled out his flask to take a drink and as he did so, Pan suddenly appeared before him again as the boy chortled and then stated smugly, "Still drinking I see. Is something bothering you? I would think you would be happy right now. You did after all manage to capture my shadow."

While keeping his eyes on his hook, the pirate replied curtly, "I thought you might now about that by now. Indeed we have. And you're not ever going to see it again, at least not in your own possession."

"If you, Emma, and the others really think that they can use my shadow to get off this island, then I'd say you've helped them for no reason at all, except perhaps to give them all false hope," Peter responded as he slowly walked around the man once in his services. "I'll tell you what, Hook. I will help you out a little. I can help you to win Emma's heart. I think you're a fool for being attracted to her, as she is just another orphan and weak. All I want from you is my shadow back."

"If you believe I'm desperate enough to believe you can help me with that, then I'd say you're the one who is the fool," Hook answered in frustration, raising his head to finally look at the demon child. "Sod off. There'll be no more deals between us."

Pan smiled and started to walk away as he replied, "Very well. But don't say I didn't try to help you. She'll never love you, Killian. You're a pirate. And a villain like me. How could the Savior ever love a man like you?"

As his nemesis finally left him alone again, Hook lifted his flask once again to his lips and took a big swig of the rum he always carried on him. He glanced down and stared hard at it for a few moments until he suddenly pitched it at a tree in front of him upon realizing that the one truth Pan spoke was that Emma would never be able to love him, as he already loved her.

Meanwhile…

Neal wandered throughout the woods in the direction Hook had left earlier, hoping to be able to find him and encourage him to come back with him to rejoin the others, but he knew that in order to do that, he would most likely have to apologize to the pirate for being a jerk to him earlier even if he had the right to be angry. It wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to having in the least, but for Emma he would make nice to him even if Hook actually succeeded in stealing her away from him.

Neal's thoughts were interrupted as Peter Pan walked out from behind a tree in front of him and spoke up asking, "So, enjoying your freedom again are you, Baelfire?"

"I think enjoying might be the wrong word," Neal responded snidely as he stopped walking and kept his eyes on the villain. "But I like not being your prisoner any longer. Are you here to try to capture me again? Where's your small army?"

"Relax, I'm only here to have a chat," Pan answered as he knelt down on the ground beneath his feet and looked up at man he knew better as the boy he was years ago before Neal had managed to escape from Neverland. "In fact, I'm here to offer you a deal that you just might like. Before you object, hear me out."

The younger man scoffed and then replied, "I don't have time for this."

Peter responded snidely, "Because you have to go apologize to the pirate, you mean? I know that Emma sent you off after him. He isn't far. You'll find him having himself another drink. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you."

"Just say what you have to say and get the hell out of here," Neal answered in frustration.

"Very well," the child replied. "Straight to the point then. I'll let you go ahead and keep trying to save Henry, though eventually you'll learn you won't succeed and when you do, I will give you passage out of Neverland. All I want from you in return is my shadow back, as well as to see you run your cutlass through Hook's chest."

Neal looked at Pan with surprise as he asked, "You want me to kill Hook? Why is that? I thought you kept him alive all these years, whether he's been on your side or not, because he amuses you and you find it fun to mock him? At least that's what you told me once a long time ago to try to get me to trust you."

Pan shrugged, then responded, "That's true, but I've grown weary of his newfound defiance. Meeting Emma has made him brave and foolish. I can't let him go on fighting me any longer."

"I may not care one way or another about what happens to him, but I won't kill him either," the Dark One's son answered sternly. "I'm not my father. I'm not a murderer no matter what you tempt me with."

"Are you sure about?" Peter asked smugly. "Any man is capable of murder so long as the price is right. Think about it, Baelfire. Hook has begun to interfere with your yearning to get back together with Emma. He likes her. And he won't stop trying to fight for her. But what's worse… I've seen how the Savior looks at Hook. She's drawn to him too. She may not admit something's come between them, but it's obvious. Surely you've noticed it too?"

Neal looked away, back toward where he knew Emma was waiting for him to return with Hook in tow, then he turned back as he replied, "I've noticed. But she'll never fall for his fake charm and brief phase of decency."

The boy laughed and responded, "I'm not so sure. I'd like to say I agree with you, but Hook's smarter than I would like to give him credit for. If you kill him, he'll be out of your way and you'll be free to pursue Miss. Swan for as long as you like, for as long as it takes for her to come to her senses and realize that you're the better man."

"No," the younger man answered after a few moments, almost considering Pan's offer until he snapped out of his thoughts again and glared at Pan. "Forget it. I won't do your dirty work for you. I don't like Hook. But I don't like you either. And I don't trust you. Besides, I would lose Emma if she finds out that I've killed him."

"Would you kill Captain Hook if I told you that I would give you all passage off this island, including Henry?" Peter Pan asked smugly. "I may need your son, Neal. But I also realize that you heroes will never give up until you're all dead, as well as a large number of my Lost Boys and that could make things very difficult for me. After all, you lot have my shadow and I really need that back."

Neal kept his eyes trained on Peter as he opposed, "You just want to see if you can turn me into a villain too. If I knew with a certainty that you would keep your word to give me and Emma our son back, I think that I would do anything. But I don't trust you, Pan. You said it yourself. You need Henry for whatever your plans are. Forget it. If you want Hook dead so badly, do it yourself."

As Neal walked away, the villain smiled as he said quietly, "I think I just might."


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Four

Henry sat on the ground against a tree within Pan's camp, watching the Lost Boys closely while they talked amongst themselves too quietly for him to hear what they were saying. However, after Pan left to go about his business, whatever it was he needed to do, it was clear that many of the boys he had left behind to stand guard over him were beginning to grow restless and frustrated as they had started to argue about whether or not they needed to wait for Pan's orders, or if they could leave to attack their prisoner's family for a little fun. Finally, Felix made the final decision to have them all wait for their leader to return, as Felix was the second in command and had the final say. When the arguing between the Lost Boys finally ended, Felix turned back to the spot where their prisoner was sitting and found that Henry was no longer there.

"Find him!" Felix shouted angrily. "Pan will have our heads if the child makes it back to his family."

"He couldn't have gotten far," Tootles responded in frustration as he ran over behind the older boy. "We'll catch him."

Felix glared at his friend as he replied, "We'd better. I've never failed Pan before and I won't now."

Deeper within the woods…

When neither Hook or Neal returned to the clearing where the others were impatiently waiting for them, Tinker Bell slipped away to search for them herself and finally found Hook twenty minutes later as he was kneeling down low to the ground, holding his flask within his hand as she spoke up saying, "For crying out loud, Hook. We've been waiting for you to come back and you're out here drinking? Now isn't exactly a good time to get drunk on your rum."

"I'm plenty sober, I assure you," he answered coldly as he stood up while he placed his flask back into his back pocket where it belonged and then turned to look at the Green Fairy. I have a high drinking tolerance. I've had centuries of practice. I should think you would know that better than anyone, Tink."

"What, because if you were actually drunk you'd be coming onto me right now?" she asked sternly. "You were never interested in me back when we were working for Pan because you were too busy being obsessed to get your revenge on the Dark One for killing the one woman you did love, but that doesn't mean you didn't flirt with me. And now, we both know that your interests have changed."

Killian turned his back to her as he responded with frustration, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She looked at him with surprise as she responded, "Oh really? Look, I know that you've fallen for Emma. It's written all over your face. It'd be great if she wasn't who her parents told me she is, or completely devoted to only saving her son, not to mention that Bae also is in love with her…"

"I believe you forgot to state the most obvious fact," Hook replied as he looked toward her with darkness in his eyes. "That I'm a pirate and not good for a woman as special as Emma is. Go ahead, everyone else has said it. Why not you?"

"I wasn't going to say that," Tink answered sadly as she walked over to stand inches in front of him, then reached out to gently touch his cheek in order to get him to look at her directly. "I've always known that you were better than the man you've always pretended to be, Hook. But you certainly know how to make it difficult. Because you think that she's rejected you and Baelfire's pissed at you, you're out here wallowing in self-pity when you should be helping Emma and everyone to save her boy. Please, come back with me. We're nearly ready to get this all over with, but we need your help too."

Hook nodded and was about to follow after her until all of a sudden, they both heard someone cry out for help, then rushed to stand on a cliff face nearby as they looked over and saw a boy running through the tall plants and trees surrounding him in the distance below. It was hard to tell for sure from so far away, but the pirate and fairy knew that the only child who would be running away from something, or someone, and needing help would be Henry.

Killian quickly looked back at Tinker Bell as he said quickly, "Get back to Emma and the others. Tell them we've found Henry."

As he started to take off, she quickly grabbed his arm to stop him as she cried out, "Wait! What are you doing? You can't really think it's a good idea to go after him on your own?"

"If I don't, we'll lose him again," he responded. "We don't have much of a choice, love. Try not to worry about me. I'll be fine."

"You better be," Tink replied in frustration, then watched him run off to go try to save the Savior's son.

Down below, Henry ran through the jungle as fast as he could to try to escape from the small army of Lost Boys he knew would be on him in a matter of minutes after he escaped from the camp for a second time, especially since they knew Neverland far better than he ever could. As he continued to run, he called out for help in hope that his shouts were enough for his mothers and grandparents to hear him and get to him before Pan or the rest of his captors could.

Unfortunately, Henry suddenly tripped over roots sticking out from a tree beside him that he had failed to see when he turned his head to look behind him for any sign of someone chasing him. But before he could get up again, Felix found him and laughed upon seeing him down on the ground as Henry tried to crawl and back away from him until he backed into another tree that blocked his path. Henry let out a frustrated growl, then finally turned his head to look up again at the older boy still standing over him.

Felix reached his hand out to help Henry up as he stated smugly, "That was pretty foolish, Henry. I thought Pan made it clear to you that there was no escaping from us?"

The younger boy glared at him as he answered, "Maybe not, but I won't ever give up. My family doesn't like to give up."

"When you realize that your family won't survive long enough to rescue you, you'll give up then," Pan's second retorted in frustration while he grabbed onto Henry's arm and pulled him back to his feet until the sound of a branch snapping behind him caused Felix to spin around when he was suddenly struck hard across the face by Captain Hook's hook as the pirate appeared behind him.

"And you'll eventually realize that the entire Charming clan are annoyingly more determined to win than even your fearless leader," Killian responded after the Lost Boy fell to the ground unconscious.

Henry stared at the Pirate Captain in surprise as he spoke up saying, "You? What are you doing here? I thought you were back in Storybrooke, causing trouble for my family and everyone else."

Hook smiled sadly and replied, "Aye, I was. Until I learned that you heroes had something more to offer me than any of the villains we've faced as of late. I came here with your family to help save you."

"I'm afraid you won't be," Pan answered as he suddenly appeared behind him as Hook swiftly drew his cutlass from his scabbard and pulled Henry behind him in attempt to protect him. "I'm disappointed, Killian. I've given you several opportunities to prove your loyalty to me again, yet you continue to defy me despite my power."

"I don't fear your power," the pirate responded coldly while he continued to glare at the real villain of Neverland. "Not like I did when I first arrived here on this island centuries ago. I believe I've made myself clear. My loyalty to you is long over."

Peter slowly walked around Hook and Henry as he nodded and replied, "Yes, I suppose you did. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, but I expected as much especially after we spoke not that long ago. Which is why it's high time you finally pay for turning against me after all I've done for you."

Killian glared at the demon as he answered angrily, "All you've done for me? I may have come back to Neverland to gain information to help me kill the Dark One, but you've done nothing except order me around to do your dirty work. I was the one who discovered the information I needed without you."

"And I released you from my services so you could get your revenge," Pan continued. "It's your own fault that Rumpelstiltskin still lives, just as it's your fault your brother's dead."

"Enough talk!" Hook shouted. "You want to fight me, fight me."

Peter smiled and then suddenly threw pixie dust into Hook's face, causing Killian to slowly lose consciousness and fall to the ground as his enemy responded, "I'm afraid that's not exactly what I had in mind for you, Captain."

Felix rose to his feet again as the pirate landed hard beside him, while Henry knelt down to check to make sure that Hook was alright and asked worryingly, "Why did you have to do that? He was only trying to protect me."

"I know," Pan replied as several more of his small army arrived and stood around them. "That's why I had to stop him. You're worried about the wrong person, Henry. You should worry more about yourself, especially if you try running away from me one more time. Hook's nothing, but a drunken pirate with one hand. And not very smart for thinking he could actually best me. I wasn't afraid he could beat me in a fair fight, but I just don't have the time to deal with his bravado right now. I have one more visit to make. Felix, try not to let either Henry or the Captain here surprise you again while I'm gone. I would hate to believe that you out of everyone would be disloyal to me."

"I'm more loyal to you than anyone," his second answered with sincerity. "I always will be."

Their leader nodded as he looked between each of the Lost Boys, then turned to Henry as he said to them again, "Take them back to our camp and make sure they're both tied up. We'll have some fun when I return. And if Henry gives you anymore trouble, feel free to use the pixie dust on him again too. But I don't think you'll have to. Will they, Henry?"

He nervously shook his head and muttered quietly, "No. Not until my family arrives and proves to you that heroes will always defeat villains like you."

 _"You hear that too?" a boy asked quietly from behind Emma as she walked away from the heroes camp to listen for the sounds of boys crying somewhere within the woods that surrounded them. "You're Emma, right? I wonder why they can't hear the crying."_

 _"Who are you?" she stated curtly as she kept her cutlass raised._

 _Pan responded, "Oh, did I forget to introduce myself? I'm Peter. Peter Pan."_

 _Emma suddenly pinned Pan against a tree behind him and held her sword at his throat as she questioned angrily, "Where's Henry?"_

 _"You've got fire," the boy replied cruelly. "I like fire."_

 _"Where's my son?" she asked again, more curtly than before._

 _He looked coldly into the Savior's eyes as he answered, "Henry's still alive, if that's what you're worried about."_

 _Emma glared at him as she continued, "Why the hell did you take him?"_

 _"He's a very special boy, Emma," Peter responded firmly._

 _"I know," she replied with frustration. "That doesn't answer my question. What do you want with him?"_

 _Pan answered smugly, "I came here to see who I was up against… 'the Savior.' Gotta say, I'm not disappointed."_

 _Emma looked at him callously as she asked again, "What do you say now? You're gonna tell me how I'm never gonna see Henry again?"_

 _"No," he responded as she slowly lowered her blade away from his throat, then watched as he pulled a parchment from within the shirt he wore. "I'm going to help you find him. I'll give you a map. A map that will lead you straight to your son."_

 _"If this is some kind of trap…" she began to reply again until Peter cut her off._

 _He chuckled and then continued, "I may not be the most well behaved boy on the island, but I always keep my promises. The path to finding Henry is on this parchment."_

 _The Savior lowered the sword even more as she questioned once more, "Why are you giving it to me?"_

 _"See, it's not about finding Henry," Peter answered vigorously. "It's about how you find him. And, Emma you are the only one who can."_

 _"It's blank," she responded in frustration as she opened the paper he handed her, revealing nothing._

 _Pan replied, "You'll only be able to read that map when you stop denying who you really are."_

As Pan broke from his thoughts when Felix began to tie Henry's hands behind his back, while the other boys lifted Hook off the ground to carry him back to their camp, Peter looked into Henry eyes as he answered, "You certainly have your mother's fire in you. That's partly why you're perfect for what I need. But it won't help you forever. Either you'll give in to me as the rest of the Lost Boys here have, or you'll die… as Captain Hook soon will."


	5. Chapter 5

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Five

Centuries ago…

Weeks after Hook returned to Neverland, Pan finally sent him out on his first task, giving him a map to help show him the way. The pirate walked across the island throughout its jungle for miles until he finally came upon the outskirts of a camp belonging to an Indian tribe, Indians who were the only true natives to the dark island. Along with the map, the demon child that Hook believed Peter Pan to be since the boy's first deception a few years earlier had also given him a message for the tribal leader. The Pirate Captain didn't follow Pan's orders out of any kind of loyalty or respect. He simply needed information that only Pan could give him, so long as he could deceive him into believing that he was trustworthy long enough to get it.

Smee spoke up from behind him saying quietly, "I'm not sure I like this, Sir. It's not that I'm not pleased for the opportunity to discover more of Neverland with you, but… Confronting this island's natives so soon is a foolhardy thing to do, without knowing exactly what it is we're up against. Are you certain this is wise?"

Without looking back at the smaller man, Killian answered with frustration, "Not hardly. For once I agree with you, Mr. Smee. However, I wasn't given a choice in the matter. You know we have to follow Pan's orders from here on out, or that is until I say the time has come to leave his employ."

"Yes, but to meet with Indians…" the soon to be first mate began to respond until he was suddenly cut off when a dagger was suddenly forced to his throat. "Captain?"

"Release him now, or you will force me to kill you and I would really hate for us to start our relationship off in such a manner," Hook said coldly as he pulled his pistol from his belt and pointed it directly at the Indian now standing before him as the pirate turned around to see what made Smee so worried.

Another one of the natives stepped out from a tree as she replied, "Tell me who you are and what you're doing here and we might just let you leave with your lives. We don't like outsiders coming to our camp unexpectedly, nor do we take kindly to threats."

Three more Indians appeared around them as the pirate slowly lowered his weapon, holstered it again, then he turned back to the young girl appearing to be in charge of them and answered calmly, "Have you never seen a pirate before? Although I suppose you wouldn't see many adults here in a land run by children."

"You are not the only grown-ups here on this island, though there are few left," she responded sternly. "My father is among them. And he's the Chief of our tribe, Chief Great Little Panther. He's a brave and strong man who is even less understanding of strangers than I am. I will only ask you once more, who are you?"

"My men call me Captain Hook," Killian replied with a bow. "You can do the same, Princess Tiger Lily I presume?"

The girl appearing to be only slightly older than Peter, though in truth no one knew Pan's real age thanks to the magic of the island, glared at Hook as she asked again, "And how is it you know who I am?"

Hook walked over to stand with Smee as he pulled the knife and the Indian's hand away from his colleague's throat with his hook while he answered, "I've come with a message for your father from Pan. I understand you and the Lost Boys have an uneasy relationship at best. Will you take me and Smee here to see your Chief?"

"You can give me the message and as Pan has passed it along to you, I will pass it along to my father," Tiger Lily responded coldly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the Pirate Captain replied curtly. "I was given explicit orders to give the message directly to the Chief himself. If you refuse…"

She interrupted him by stating, "You're not afraid of us at all, are you? Very few outsiders stand against us with such boldness."

Killian smiled as he answered smugly, "There is little I fear and a few Indians certainly isn't among them."

"Perhaps you'll feel differently when you're amongst an entire tribe?" the Princess responded coolly. "If you value your life, you will hand over whatever weapons you carry to my friend now standing in front of you."

"I fear I cannot hand over all of my weapons, as this hook is all I have in place of the hand that was stolen from me by a Crocodile," Killian replied brazenly as he raised his hook up for her to see it better, so that she could see that he wasn't lying about it being attached to his arm when one of the few adults whom the native child mentioned before held his hand out and stared at him impatiently, waiting for Hook to give it up. "You wouldn't force me to meet with your father as less than the true man that I am, would you?"

Back in the present…

After Peter left those loyal to him to tend to getting Henry and Hook back to their camp, the leader of the Lost Boys flew across the island and landed upon the strongest branch of a tree under which a girl with long black hair and red tribal paint on her face sat as she wrote within a small book in her hands, then he spoke up saying casually, "Hello again, Tiger Lily. I'm surprised to find you here in the outskirts all alone."

She kept her eyes on her book as she answered coldly, "Who says I'm all alone? You shouldn't be here, Peter. I warned you the last time we spoke that if you ever returned, I would send the warriors of my tribe to kill as many of your boys as we can before you and your shadow can overpower and defeat them."

"You're right," he responded, then jumped down so that he was now standing in front of her. "But what if I told you that I've come with a way we may be able to build a truce between Lost Boys and Indians?"

"I would say that you have lost your marbles, as Rufio did just before your pirate friend slaughtered him," the Princess replied angrily as she finally looked up at her enemy.

Pan chortled and then answered, "It's funny you should mention Hook. Because he's the reason why I've come actually. He's returned. And I've managed to capture him because it just so happens that he's foolishly fallen in love with a woman who will never love him back because she can't. She calls herself a Savior, while he's a ruthless pirate."

Tiger Lily quickly stood as she asked angrily, "You mean to say that he's gone soft?"

"I captured him because he was trying to rescue the Savior's son for her, whom I have also captured many days ago," Peter responded smugly. "I would be willing to hand him over to you and your tribe so you can have your revenge, for a price of course. And in so doing, we will no longer have to be enemies. What do you say? Do you want to see Hook dead for the pain he's caused you?"

"More than anything," she replied cruelly. "Very well, we have a deal. You and the rest of your army can bring him to our camp at the time of sundown tonight. In so doing, I promise you that no harm will come to any of you. Will that be satisfactory?"

Pan smiled as he held out his hand for her to shake in agreement, then said eagerly, "I would expect nothing less. It'll give us plenty of time to have some fun with him first. But don't you want to know what I want from you in return aside from peace between us?"

The Indian Princess looked into his eyes as she said coldly. "I've known you a long time. I certainly know you well enough to know that there isn't anything you would ask me for, that I wouldn't give you in order to make Captain Hook pay for killing my father."


	6. Chapter 6

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Six

"He did what?" Neal asked sternly after Tinker Bell ran back to where the others were waiting for everyone to return and immediately began to explain that she and Hook saw Henry trying to escape from the Lost Boys, then that he had left to try to save Henry while she came to inform them. "Why the hell would Hook go after Henry without coming to get us to help?"

"Because he didn't have the time," the Green Fairy replied angrily, not believing her friend's cruel attitude toward her old enemy turned friend. "That's why he sent me to come get you. Hook is trying to help Henry and if…"

Emma raised her hand to cut Tink off and then spoke up in frustration saying, "She's right. If Hook hadn't have gone after them, we likely would have lost Henry again if Pan and these kids catch him first. At least now we might actually have a chance to get him back. We need to find them, now!"

Mary Margaret looked over at David and nodded while he did the same, then they followed after their daughter without question as she left in the direction the fairy had come to them from. Tinker Bell turned her head to look back at Neal, who still seemed angry over Hook's actions, then rushed to catch up to the others so that she could lead them to where she suspected they might find Hook and hopefully Henry too. Reluctantly, Neal walked after them as well, still skeptical of the pirate's motivation for trying to save his son, instead of being grateful.

Tinker Bell led them through the jungle until they caught sight of a trail left by several footprints and broken branches showing that someone was running as fast as they could without being careful enough to cover up their tracks, as the heroes knew that Pan and the Lost Boys knew how to do if they needed to. Which meant that the tracks were Henry's.

As they stopped for a moment to observe them, Tink swiftly pointed up toward the cliff above them as she called out, "That's where Hook and I saw and heard Henry from. You weren't waiting for us that far away from here, which means we can't be too far behind them."

"And it looks like Hook has left us a trail to follow," David stated as he turned to a tree beside him and noticed a large X scratched into its trunk made from a sharp tool, the Pirate Captain's hook, then looked ahead of them as he saw another X like the first one. "Let's keep moving."

"How do we know these marks weren't made by the Lost Boys to throw us off?" Mary Margaret asked worryingly as she kept following after her daughter, husband, and their new friend.

Neal answered with frustration, "Trust me, it's Hook who made these all right. Pan's boys are too busy chasing after Henry to worry about anyone else who might be trying to follow them. Besides, Hook's never been subtle. And I've seen him make marks like these before."

The heroes followed the trail for as far as Hook was leading them until his markings suddenly stopped and while they looked around for any sign of another one, Emma asked worryingly, "What happened? How did Hook's trail and their footprints just disappear?"

"They must have run into trouble," Tinker Bell responded nervously as everyone continued to look around.

"They did," Emma whispered in fear as she then bent down and picked up something off the ground, then stood up again while she held out her hand to reveal Hook's flask to the others with her. "They've taken Hook. He never would have dropped this unless he was trying to let us know he was in trouble."

Mary Margaret shook her head nervously and replied, "It's not good that we now have Hook to worry about too, but at least now Henry isn't alone, or at least I certainly hope not. This might be good, Emma."

The Savior glared at her mother as she questioned, "How the hell is this good?"

"I think she's trying to say that if Pan chooses to keep them together, Hook will be able to reassure Henry we're still fighting to save him," David answered for his wife. "And after all he's done for us so far, I'm sure he'll do everything he can to protect Henry. I still don't trust Hook. Not really, but despite whatever's going on between the two of you right now, Emma, I have to believe that he'll do so for you. Or if anything, he'll do it just to spite Pan. There's certainly no loyalty there."

"I hope you're right," Emma responded sadly while she pulled out the map Peter had given her again, trying not to show her fear for the pirate she knew deep down she was beginning to care for more than she would have liked to admit, to herself or to anyone else. "We need to come up with a new plan. I doubt Pan will keep his camp where it is now, if he hasn't already moved it. Which it looks like he has. Damn it! We were so close."

Neal laid his hand down on her shoulder as he replied, "I think I have an idea. I know someone who might be willing to help, though only with giving us information. He's a little crazy, but he might be our only chance to get ahead of Pan for once."

Meanwhile…

When Pan arrived again at his camp's newest location, he found Henry had his hands tied behind his back and that his ankles were bound his well while he sat against on the ground against a tree nearby. His Lost Boys had also strung Hook up by his arms to a wooden post within the center of the camp, having taken away his hook and its brace. His boots barely touched the ground and he was no longer wearing his long black duster or shirt, his back now bare. As Pan flew in, Felix started walking toward Hook carrying a long, thick bullwhip.

Felix smiled as Peter walked toward him and then said smugly, "You're just in time for the fun."

"It appears I am," Peter answered as he turned his to look up at Hook, seeing that his enemy's eyes were focused on Henry, who kept his head down in frustration over being caught again. "But I thought I said we would have fun once I returned. It looks like you boys were going to get started without me."

"I wasn't going to strike him with it just yet," Pan's second responded nervously. "We were only going to taunt him a little."

The boys' leader smiled as he pat his most loyal on his back and replied, "Relax, Felix. I am not angry. Just be grateful you haven't begun yet."

Pan turned toward Hook and walked toward him as he called out, "So Killian, exactly what are you thinking about right now? Is it that you wish you still had your hook so you could run me through, are you thinking you're a fool for turning me down again for the last time, or are you just ashamed for being so easily outsmarted again?"

"You really don't want to know what I'm thinking right now," Hook answered curtly as he turned his eyes to glare the villain now standing before him. "What do you really want the boy for? If you think you're going to turn the Savior's son into one of your precious imps here, I fear you're in for some bitter disappointment."

"I'm afraid that that's not what I have in mind for Henry at all," Peter responded quietly as he reached out to take the whip from Felix's hands. "But you won't be around long enough to see exactly what it is I do have in store. Shall we get right into it then? Felix, cut Henry lose and bring him over here. Don't worry, he won't try to run so long as I'm here. He's not that stupid."

When his second did as he was ordered to as Henry glared at Pan, he asked with frustration, "What's happening? Are you going to make me watch you torture Hook? He doesn't deserve this for trying to help me."

Pan laughed and then replied, "Actually, he does. He deserves a whole lot more for all the trouble he's caused for me. And because he's refused me one too many times now. I told him a long, long time ago what it was I expected of him and even when I believed he was loyal, it turns out he was playing me all along. That was when we became enemies and he's been fighting against me ever since. But all that's going to be over after tonight and you get to start it off."

"Go ahead," the villain continued as he handed the bullwhip over to his captive. "Take the first strike."

"No way," Henry retorted angrily, trying to hand it back to Pan and to Felix, though both refused to take it until he finally just dropped it on the ground. "I won't hurt him. I don't care who he is."

Peter smiled as he leaned down to pick the whip up again and then answered, "Come on, Henry. This is happening whether you want it to or not. It's time Hook learns that he cannot get away with turning against me, not to mention the fact that he was the one who made it possible for your family to come here to try to save you."

Henry looked over at the pirate with surprise as he asked, "You really did that? I don't understand. I thought you were a villain?"

"I am," Killian responded miserably as he turned his head down to avoid looking into Henry's eyes. "I'm a pirate. But I came here because I owed your mother for trying to help me."

"We all know that's not true," Pan scoffed and then glanced between both of his prisoners. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt, but I promised the boys they'd get to enjoy their fun, so it's time we move this along. Just strike him once, Henry. Or I promise you that his punishment will be much worse off than it could be. And so will yours be. You never know, you might just enjoy it like we will."

Killian raised his head again and looked directly at Emma's son as he spoke up again saying, "It's all right, lad. I promise I won't hold it against you. If you're hurt, your mother would never forgive me. Just do as he says."

Peter placed the bullwhip back into Henry's hands while Henry stared at it again, then shook his head as he replied, "I can't do it. He hasn't done anything to hurt me."

"Captain Hook is a villain, Henry," the Lost Boys leader answered impatiently. "I assure you that he's done nothing for you, but for himself. He likes your mom. Emma that is. After they arrived here in Neverland, they shared a kiss and now Hook thinks he's in love. But what's even funnier than that, is that he actually believes Emma reciprocates his feelings. He's a fool because it's not true. He's only here to try to get your mother to fall in love with him. But if I were to let Hook live, he would see that he'd fail and that he would just go back to being the same, selfish one-handed pirate out only for revenge on the Dark One."

"Pan's right," Hook stated curtly as he glared again at Pan. "All your mother sees is that I'm a pirate. She wants nothing to do with me and I don't blame her. I am a pirate and I'll always be just that. He's right about me too. That I came here purely for my own selfish reasons. You owe me nothing, Henry."

Peter smiled and then turned back to Henry again as he responded finally, "You only need to strike the whip across his back once and Felix will happily take over Hook's punishment for you. What do you say?"

Henry looked into Hook's eyes and saw the sadness in them, then he turned to Peter Pan again as he replied sternly, "No. I won't be a part of this sick, twisted amusement of yours. Hook tried to save me no matter what his motivations were. Villain or not, I won't hurt him."

"Very well," the demon answered with a sigh, then took the bullwhip and handed it over to his second in charge. "I can't say that I'm not disappointed in you, Henry. But I suppose I have to understand. Which means that it's an even worse punishment for him then. Felix, we're going to be taking him away from here in a bit. There's another native of this island who wants to see him suffer for what Hook did to her father. However, before we go, do with him as you want. For good measure. Just don't kill him, or hurt him too badly. That will come later."

Felix glared at Hook as he was still being angry at him for knocking him out with his hook earlier while the Captain stared coldly into his eyes, then the Lost Boy smiled and suddenly struck the whip across his back with as much force as he could muster. Killian closed his eyes the moment the agony hit, but he refused to cry out or even make a sound that would help to give the Lost Boys a sense of satisfaction. His pain only worsened as Felix continued to strike him over and over as he thought about his last fight against Hook, allowing the memory to fuel his anger toward the pirate.

 _"It's been awhile, Captain," Felix taunted as he raised his cutlass against the pirate who had turned against them and was now helping the heroes, stopping the weapon with his hook._

 _Killian glared at the boy while the blade scraped against the metal of his hook as he said angrily, "Not long enough."_

 _The boy most loyal to the demon pulled his cutlass back and they continued to clash their swords together until Hook stopped the Felix's sword with his hook once again as he sneered cruelly, "You remember what I did to Rufio? Well, it's a far worse fate for you."_

Finally, after several angry lashes appeared across Hook's back, blood seeping from the wounds while Henry pleaded with Pan to get him to stop, Peter reached out and grabbed Felix's arm to pull him back. The younger boy glared at him and immediately shoved Pan off of him as he swiftly struck the whip once more, then threw it down and stepped away to calm down. Hook remained conscious as he fought against the pain, then slowly looked over at Henry, who was staring at him in shock until he turned away and sat down on the ground, dropping his head in his hands.

"Won't you just let me kill Hook?" Pan's second asked as he struggled to come down from the heavy adrenaline now pumping through him from his assault on their enemy. "He killed Rufio! He deserves to feel my dagger through his chest, just like he killed my brother."

"Don't worry, Felix," Peter responded as he looked at his friend with remorse that only Hook knew was nothing more than an act. "I promise you that Hook will suffer and you will get your chance to make him pay for Rufio. I'll talk to Tiger Lily and see if I can't convince her to let you have the final strike. You'll have your satisfaction."


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Seven

Neal continued to lead Emma, David, Mary Margaret, and Tinker Bell through the woods for miles in the opposite direction of where the map Pan had given her said that the Lost Boys' camp was now and since everyone was on edge, as Emma was still frustrated by the rivalry between Neal and Hook, no one spoke for as long as they walked.

However, Emma couldn't take the silence that had broken over them any longer as she called out, "Where exactly are we going, Neal? We're walking further away from Pan's camp. If Henry and Hook are there…"

Everyone stopped moving as Neal turned around to look at the woman he still loved despite leaving her before Henry was born as he responded with frustration, "I told you. I'm taking you to see someone from a long time ago who might know what Pan's plans are for Henry. If we can find that out, then just maybe we might know where he might take our son and we can be there before they arrive."

"Who is this person we're going to see?" Mary Margaret questioned as they started walking again.

"And why would he know what Pan has planned if he and that demon aren't working together anymore?" the Savior asked again curtly. "I'm guessing that's the case, since he's way out here in the middle of nowhere, and nowhere near where the rest of his buddies are running around freely causing mischief for everyone."

Neal let out a long sigh and then answered, "I think that you'd know him best from the movie, _Hook_. It's a great movie, but very inaccurate as you've noticed. And, like every other movie and story about Pan, Hook, and Neverland, they got him all wrong too. I'm taking you to meet Pan's former second, Rufio."

Emma froze again as she stated, "Rufio? You've got to be kidding me."

"I would think by now you'd have learned that pretty much every fairytale character you've ever read about or seen in the movies are all real," Baelfire replied smugly as he looked over at the blonde woman again.

"Isn't Rufio dead?" she sneered, glaring back at him.

The father of her son shrugged as he responded, "Actually, that may be the one thing the movie came close to getting right. Hook did actually stab Rufio in the chest, like he does in _Hook_. Or at least that was what he and Rufio both wanted Pan and the rest of the Lost Boys to believe."

David looked at Neal with confusion as he asked, "Wait, you're saying that Hook helped this kid fake his own death? But why… to escape from Pan?"

"Exactly," Bae answered, then sighed as he closed his eyes as if he was remembering something terrible. "I don't really know the whole truth behind why Hook agreed to help one of the Lost Boys, why Rufio wanted to escape, and all that really happened that day… Getting either one of them to talk about it is nearly impossible. But the plan didn't exactly work out as they expected. Rufio survived Hook's attack, but only because he was saved and healed by Tiger Lily. Yes, she's real too. Hook believes that his plan failed and that Rufio actually did die because Pan interfered. I don't know the rest of the details. But now Rufio lives alone in a place where he can hide from everyone, or anyone who doesn't know he's either alive or where he is now. I know because when I was here and trying to hide from Pan, I found him by mistake. I'm telling you right now, he's a little crazy like I said he was and when I introduce you to him, he's not going to be too happy about it. So, I suggest that you let me do all the talking. I can't believe I'm actually betraying his trust. I promised him that I would never reveal that he was alive to anyone, even to Hook."

"I don't understand," Emma replied as she looked at Neal again with anger. "I know that you have a problem with Hook, but don't you think he ought to know that he didn't actually kill this kid? If their plan was to fake Rufio's death and Hook believes he failed, I'm sure that Hook must feel terrible about it. Why wouldn't Rufio want Hook to know that he didn't kill him if they trusted each other enough to work together on this plan?"

When Neal just stared at her, then turned away again and became silent, David pulled his daughter back as he said quietly, "It looks like that will be a question we'll have to ask Rufio, if we can. Just how crazy is he?"

Baelfire looked back at them sternly as he responded, "You'll find out for yourselves in a just a moment. We're here."

As they came upon a waterfall that flowed over the mouth of another cave, Neal stopped again and looked at his friends as he stated, "Wait here. I'm going to go talk to him first. If we all go, he'll clam up and we'll never get anything out of him. In fact, maybe it's best that you don't come at all."

"Not a chance," Emma answered curtly. "We're in this together. Henry isn't the only one who's in danger anymore. Like it or not, we're going to save Hook too. Despite what you believe his motives were for trying to save our son, for saving my father, or for telling us the truth about you being alive, he did all this to help us. We owe it to him."

"Do you really believe that I'm the kind of person who wouldn't be able to put my disdain for someone aside to help my own son or even an enemy?" Neal asked sadly. "Hook is that kind of man, Emma. I'll be back."

When he walked into the water surrounding the rock face and left them behind, Mary Margaret spoke again saying, "I know he may be having a hard dealing with Hook's feelings for you too, Emma… Not to mention that he has to find some way of earning your trust back, but I really think he means well. And Neal wouldn't really leave Hook to behind to die at Pan's hands."

The Savior shook her head as he replied, "I don't know what to think right now, except that I'm tired of fighting. I want my son safe and to get the hell off this cursed island."


	8. Chapter 8

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Eight

It took longer for Neal to return to them than Emma would have liked, but a short time later he finally stepped out of the cave again and motioned for her and the others to join him inside. Tinker Bell walked inside first while David and Mary Margaret looked at each other and let out a nervous breath as they followed after the Savior, not sure of what to expect from the real Rufio. Exactly how crazy was a little crazy? For their daughter's sake, they really hoped Neal was right and that the former Lost Boy would really be able to help them find a way to save both Henry and even Hook too, no matter what they thought of him.

When they passed under the waterfall and entered inside the cavern hidden behind, a boy with sandy blond hair looking to be the same age as Pan himself immediately spoke up sternly as he glared between Neal and the newcomers saying, "So which one is she?"

Neal chortled as he looked toward Emma, then turned back to the younger man and answered, "You'll have to forgive him. Rufio, this Emma Swan and her parents, David and Mary Margaret. And of course you remember Tink?"

"Yeah, of course I do," Rufio replied curtly as he nervously twirled a strand of his hair on the side of his head between his fingers. "You didn't tell me that Pan's fairy was here with you too, Baelfire? Forget it, I can't talk to you. Get out! Get out!"

"It's okay," Tink responded quickly as Rufio suddenly became agitated and started to pace wildly back and forth. "Please, Rufio. I promise you I'm not working with Pan any longer. I haven't for a long time. I'm afraid of him too."

The former Lost Boy glared at her as he asked, "I don't trust you. You and Pan have always been pretty chummy."

Neal walked over to stand in front of him as he grabbed him by his shoulders and looked into his eyes as he answered, "They haven't been for well over a century. You've always trusted me, Rufio. I need you to trust me now. We really need your help."

"I told you I don't know anything about him," Rufio replied angrily and collapsed in the makeshift chair behind him, then took a few minutes to calm down. "I don't keep track of Pan or the others anymore. I haven't for decades."

"Please," Emma whispered sadly, kneeling down in front of him as she attempted to reach out to set her hand down on the boy's knee until she realized it wasn't a good idea, then pleadingly and sincerely looked directly into his eyes. "My son's life is in danger and now a friend's life is too. If there is anything you can tell us…"

He suddenly interrupted her as he responded, "Baelfire never mentioned a friend. Who's your friend?"

The blonde woman glared at Neal for a moment, then turned back to Rufio right away and answered, "Captain Hook."

"Hook's back?" Rufio asked with surprise. "He's your friend?"

"That's right," Mary Margaret replied. "He's come here to Neverland to help us to save Henry, but he was taken captive by Pan too. We want to help him if we can."

Rufio swiftly became agitated again as he stood up and shouted, "He can't be back! I don't want him to know. If he knows…"

Neal grabbed the boy by his shoulders again to get him to stop moving as he stated, "Just try to calm down. Hook won't ever have to know. But we owe it to him to help him out. If there's anything you can tell us…"

"I don't know," the former Lost Boy responded curtly as he sat down again and pounded his fist against his forehead, then stopped as he glared between Emma and Neal again. "If I help you, Pan will find me too. I can't go back. He'll kill me."

"Is that why you asked Hook to help you?" Emma questioned quietly. "To help you fake your death so that you could escape from Pan?"

Rufio closed his eyes as he pulled his knees up to his chest and then he answered nervously, "Hook is a villain. I hate… hated him. But he is an enemy to Pan, the only one who can help me. We have a plan."

When he stopped talking, Neal looked over at Emma, her parents, and Tinker Bell again as he spoke up again in frustration saying, "I told you he was a mess. He's become paranoid and he has trouble differentiating between past and present. I don't think we're going to be able to get any more out of him. It was a waste of time to bring you here. I'm sorry."

"What the hell made him this way?" Emma asked again with remorse after everyone stepped away from the boy.

"I didn't actually know him before he supposedly died," Neal continued worryingly. "But from what I know from my time spent among the Lost Boys after I was taken prisoner by them because of Hook… Sorry, I'm trying. I heard from a few of the other boys that Rufio has a brother and both were abandoned and then were brought here to Neverland by Pan's shadow, a long time ago. Both of them were very angry and soon became cruel, but eventually Pan chose Rufio to be his second in charge over Felix; his brother. Felix had become jealous and Pan knew it, as did the rest of the boys. I asked Hook once when he came back from a mission for Pan for the rest of the story because I figured he might be the only one who might be willing to tell me what the others didn't. Hook only agreed to open up about it because he thought it could help him to get back into my good graces by telling me that he somehow learned that Pan had manipulated Felix into plotting to kill Rufio so that he could prove his loyalty to the villain and Felix was desperate to do so. When he told Rufio, he refused to believe his brother was capable of it, yet they both came up with a plan to fake his death in order to escape Pan, but… Well as you know, whatever Hook's plan to help him escape was, it failed. And whatever the hell happened, it somehow screwed Rufio up badly and as you can see, the years haven't been kind to him. Even though Pan believes he's dead, and Hook believes it too, Felix wound up having to be saved by Tiger Lily."

It was then that Rufio looked up suddenly as he said strangely, "Tiger Lily? Pan's taking Hook to Tiger Lily."

Emma stared at the boy as she asked, "What did you just say?"

"I don't trust Hook and I don't like him, but if Pan captured him, then he'll take the pirate to the Indians so they can kill him," he replied quietly as the Savior knelt down in front of him again. "Hook tried to help me. You want to help him, go to the Indians' camp. You don't, he will die."

"How do you know this?" David questioned in disbelief.

Felix looked up at Neal, who then responded with frustration upon realizing what the boy was trying to explain, "Because Hook is the one who killed Tiger Lily's father. I heard the Indian Chief was killed from rumors after I escaped from Pan and the Lost Boys myself, but I never knew for sure. I actually believed it was Pan who killed him. Felix, how do you know Pan will deliver Hook to the Indians?"

The former Lost Boy turned from Emma to look at Neal as he answered, "I heard whisperings while I was in the jungle gathering food. The others are everywhere in the jungle and they talk. I heard them say a truce was going to be formed between them."

"Between who?" Mary Margaret asked in confusion.

"It makes perfect sense," Neal replied quickly. "The Lost Boys and the Indians have always had an uneasy relationship, but they didn't become enemies until a fight broke out among them and Chief Great Little Panther was killed. Hook must have been there with Pan to help him with whatever he needed him there for and then killed Tiger Lily's father. Maybe that was why Hook was there, though I heard that Pan's been trying to rebuild a truce between them for whatever his reason might be. Handing Hook over to them would do it."

Emma sighed with frustration and then responded, "Fine, then we're going to the Indian camp to save Hook."

Neal scoffed and then asked curtly, "What about Henry? He's our son. He needs to be our priority."

"Henry is my priority," the Savior answered angrily. "Believe me, I want to save him more than you do. It's killing me that we can't just charge into Pan's camp right now and get him back, but for right now I have to believe that Henry's safe so long as Pan still needs him. Hook isn't. If we don't help him now, he's going to die. He may be a pirate, a villain, and whatever else he is, but he's done a lot for us and got us this far. Besides, I've already betrayed him once when we first met in the Enchanted Forest. I can't do it again. If you guys want any hope of helping me to admit that I'm your Savior, then I have to be able to save Hook too. Please, help me do that."

"Of course we will," Emma's mother replied with sincerity, as she smiled at her daughter proudly.

David nodded in agreement and then looked between Neal and the Green Fairy as he asked, Can you get us to the Indians' camp?"

Tinker Bell smiled as she responded confidently, "I can. It's a half a day's walk from here, so we'd better move if we're going to be in time to save him."


	9. Chapter 9

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Nine

Centuries ago once again…

Rufio ran through the jungle as quickly as he could until he came upon a clearing deep within the trees then took a seat on a log in front of a small campfire, across from where Hook was already seated while he waited for the Lost Boy to arrive. Neither of them spoke for several minutes and while the boy turned to look over at the pirate, Killian kept his eyes on the fire as he worked to stoke the flames before they could go out.

"You're late," Hook stated coldly, still without turning to look at Rufio. "It's a good thing for you that Pan hasn't asked for my services tonight and that I have no need to be anywhere until sunrise, the time of sunrise that is."

"Unfortunately, Pan did need my help and I couldn't get away until just less than an hour ago," Pan's second in charge replied in frustration. "It took me longer to get here than I expected it would. You said you needed to see me, pirate. That my life depended on coming. The question is, why do you care?"

The Pirate Captain finally looked at him as he responded, "I don't. But you once saved my life when I first arrived back here in Neverland. I know you didn't do it because you cared for my wellbeing either, but nevertheless… I survived. I think it only fair that I repay the favor. I always pay my debts. Peter is plotting to kill you with your brother. Felix may not want to see you dead because a part of him still cares enough about you, but you know exactly how persuasive Pan can be. He's manipulating Felix by playing on his jealousy over you becoming Pan's second in command."

Rufio scoffed as he shook his head in disbelief, then he answered angrily, "You're wrong. Felix may have been angry that Pan chose me, but he loves me. We're brothers. He would never kill me!"

"Believe me, I know what it feel like to believe in a brother's bond with every fiber of my being, but Pan has the ability to twist everything around until we don't know what to believe in any longer," Killian replied sadly, being reminded of his last few moments with Liam before he died in his arms shortly after he and Liam first stepped foot on this island years ago when Pan tricked them both as Liam foolishly poisoned himself with dreamshade in hope to prove it wasn't fatal as the demon told them it was. "My own brother died because he was too stubborn to actually listen to me and because I goaded him into something that got him killed. If you won't listen to me, then you will die and it's on you as well as on Felix. And you'll only help to make Pan even more powerful than he already is."

"If Pan wants to see me dead, why would he have chosen me to be his second?" the Lost Boy questioned. "Why not just choose Felix to begin with?"

Hook suddenly stood as he shouted, "Because it's what that demon does! He manipulates everyone in order to get what he wants and he doesn't care who he hurts to have it. You may be the stronger warrior and even crueler than your brother, but Pan cares most about loyalty and believes Felix has better potential. I heard the words from his own mouth meself."

Felix glared at the pirate while he responded, "I don't believe you, Hook. And why should I when you're nothing, but a dirty pirate? We may work together, but that doesn't mean we have to trust each other. We'll never trust you, just as you'll never trust us."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," Killian retorted with frustration. "Think on my words. And should you want to live, I can help you get away from Pan even if I can't get you off this bloody island."

"Is your vengeance really worth being trapped here with someone you clearly hate as much as the Dark One himself?" the boy asked in confusion.

The Captain stood up and turned his back to Rufio, indicating it was time for the Lost Boy to leave as he answered cruelly, "You have no idea what I'm willing to do to get my revenge. I don't pretend to be some selfless leader or hero. I know exactly what I am. You will learn exactly what your beloved Pan is one way or another. Leave and tell no one we spoke, nor of where I am if you know what's good for you."

Present day…

After Emma and those with the Savior left him alone, Rufio stood up from where he was sitting and pulled on a cloak, then left the comforts of his hideout. Once he was clear of the water pool that surrounded the rock face, the former Lost Boy walked through the trees for nearly ten minutes until an Indian brave appeared before him as Rufio immediately froze upon being startled by the warrior.

As Rufio stared at him, the warrior spoke first saying, "Tiger Lily sent me to bring you message."

"If your message is that Hook has returned to Neverland and has been captured by Pan, I already know," he replied in frustration. "The Savior, Baelfire, Tinker Bell, and two others have come with him. I didn't expect Baelfire to ever return and yet he led them straight to me. Luckily they all believed I've actually become crazy."

"Yes, lucky for you," the Indian responded. "What did they want?"

Rufio smiled and then answered, "They want to save the pirate. I told them Pan would be bringing Hook to your camp. I suggest you move him and set a trap for the others when they arrive."

The other man replied, "We are already taking pirate to Skull Rock."

"Good," the boy responded quickly. "And you need to tell Tiger Lily that the Savior has the power to defeat Pan and that she will have to work hard to convince this woman of what she needs to do. Just be careful. She's tougher than she appears."

"You're right about that," the Savior replied coldly as she and her parents, as well as Neal and Tink suddenly stepped out from the trees behind them as the Savior replied coldly, "One thing about me you didn't count on… is that I have a sixth sense that tells me when someone's lying and I didn't know exactly what it was you were lying about, until now."

Surprised to see that they had caught him, Rufio said nervously, "Emma! Baelfire, I… I can explain. It's not…"

Neal glared at him as he responded angrily. "We heard everything."

"I don't take kindly to being lied to, ever," Emma continued as she stepped closer to the former Lost Boy while David and Mary Margaret held the Indian warrior in place as they aimed their weapons at him. "I especially hate it when they're trying to hurt people I care about. You may not know what Pan has in store for my son, but you can tell us about this, Skull Rock. You can help us to save Hook, for real this time."

"Look, I did all that I had to do in order to keep Pan from learning I am alive," Rufio answered worryingly. "If he discovers I'm still alive, he will send the other Lost Boys or his shadow to kill me. That part was true. He'll send my brother."

David looked between his wife and daughter, then turned to the boy as he replied, "If you help us to rescue Hook, we will help to keep your secret. If you want, we can even bring you with us, back to our own home off of this island. We don't plan on being here any longer than is necessary to save my grandson and Hook. You won't have to worry about Pan again."

The Indian stated cruelly, "Hook will die. He slaughtered our Chief. He will pay."

"I know what he did," Emma responded, looking over at the warrior and back at Rufio again. "I know the kind of man he is, but also what he wants to be. He's helped us and risked his life in doing so. No matter what, we owe it to save him. Please…"

"I can tell you how to find Skull Rock," the former Lost Boy answered curtly. "But that's all. If you insist on getting yourselves killed trying to save a pirate, then by all means do so, but don't expect me to risk mine. Tiger Lily will fight to kill Hook, as you fight to save him."


	10. Chapter 10

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Ten

As Peter Pan and Felix, as well as Pan's most loyal few of the Lost Boys all arrived within the Indians' camp at the time of sundown agreed upon by the villain and Princess of her tribe with Hook still held as their prisoner, Tiger Lily stepped out from among her own people and walked up to the cage in which the pirate was now trapped in, staring coldly at the man who murdered her father centuries ago. Though he still felt the weariness and agony from Pan's torment, Killian as he looked at her remorsefully, without showing his weakness in front of them.

"After all these years, I feared my father's spirit would never return his murder here to Neverland to face justice as you so deserve, Captain," she whispered cruelly. "But finally you are here at last. And justice will be given to me and my people tonight. However, it won't be here that we begin."

"I know what I've done," Hook responded sadly. "I don't deny that I murdered your father and the Chief of your people, or that I did so because he stood between me and my freedom. I wasn't sorry then over what I did."

Pan laughed as he moved around to stand with the leader of the tribe now surrounding them as he looked at Hook and sneered, "Are you trying to tell us that you're sorry now? I just can't believe that you're capable of being anything, but the ruthless villain we all know you to be, Captain."

Killian nodded as he turned away from everyone and looked down at his hand, then replied in understanding, "I see. So you haven't told Tiger Lily that I've sided with Emma and the rest of the heroes who've come to defeat you. Not that it matters, but you want to keep the appearance of the villain I am very much alive so as to manipulate everyone into making your nemesis suffer as much as possible purely for your entertainment. You can go ahead and do your worst, but you know me better than anyone. I'm a survivor. I won't fall by your hands here in Neverland. I will die only how and when I choose to."

"Brave words, but I don't care what either of you have to say," the Indian Princess answered curtly. "I've heard enough. It's time to leave. If Hook has chosen to work alongside this Savior I've heard about, then most likely she will attempt to rescue him. We're leaving for Skull Rock."

"The Savior still sees Hook as the pirate he is," Peter responded smugly. "She may attempt to save him because saving hero and villain is a sickness within her, but I cannot be beaten."

Hook chortled quietly and then replied, "You don't know just how wrong you are, but you will. I've seen Emma's power. When she discovers it too, she will be far more powerful than you."

Pan glared at Killian as he answered cruelly, "When I get all I need from her son, she won't be."

The Lost Boys and Indians traveled slow as they made their way through the jungle with their prisoner in hand, both sides taking turns carrying the cage Hook was being held in, while Peter flew above them in order to keep an eye on their surrounds since he no longer had his shadow to help him do so, so long as the heroes continued to hold it prisoner. However, it wasn't long after their journey had begun that Tiger Lily shouted an order for her people to stop and when the boys looked between her and the other Indians warily, they immediately gathered around their leader as Peter flew down to the ground to protect him should the Indians attempt to make an attack against them.

"What are you doing?" Pan asked sternly as he glared at the other leader with whom he had formed an uneasy truce with. "We need to keep moving. I've been looking forward to seeing the Captain suffer almost as much as you have."

"I take no pleasure in watching a man suffer," the Princess replied coldly while Killian attempted to rest for as long as possible to prepare himself for the torture he knew would be coming soon. "I do this only to bring justice to my father and the rest of my people whom Hook has killed for his short lived freedom. And we won't be going to Skull Rock after all. It is a dangerous place and I do not wish to risk any of my people's lives needlessly. I've thought about it and I think perhaps I have someplace better I have in mind. And it's not much further. Will you permit me to lead the way?"

Peter stared at her as if to try to sense any deception and then finally answered, "I know of the spot you mean, but if you care to take the lead, Princess… by all means."

Less than an hour later…

When the Indians stopped again as they reached the area upon the island that was to be their destination, they and the Lost Boys found themselves within a very old and sacred Indian burial ground and within its center laid an altar surrounded by dark circle imprinted into the ground. Felix and the other boys started to walk forward until they were suddenly forced backwards by an invisible barrier. Both Pan and Tiger Lily laughed and then she began to sing a quiet chant as the barrier lifted, then stepped up to altar to study the markings and symbols engraved within its stone.

Felix got back to his feet again as he spoke up coldly saying, "Let me guess, this is where your father is buried?"

"Yes," the Indians' leader whispered sadly, without turning her head away. "As well as all the rest of my people and our ancestors who have died before us. It's time to begin. We do not have time to waste."

"Worried about outside interference?" Peter asked coolly as the rest of the warriors with her dragged Hook roughly from the cage, and laid him across the altar while they bound his arms, legs, and chest by chains, despite his struggle against them. "We have time enough. If the Savior is looking for Hook, she'll start at my camp shown on the map I gave her, where she'll be greeted by a small surprise. When she and the others get past them, which I don't doubt, they won't know where to start looking next."

Tiger Lily looked into Hook's eyes as she finished reading the carvings her father etched into the stone himself centuries ago while Killian glared back at her, then she turned to the warrior now standing on her right. Upon doing so, he began to chant quietly in their native tongue as the symbols began to glow and dark smoke slowly rose from the ground. The rest of her people chimed in and finally the Princess herself did as well. While Pan stepped forward to stand on Tiger Lily's other side, as did Felix, the rest of the Indians and the Lost Boys stepped back in fear when blue flames suddenly ignited surrounding them.

Hook kept silent as he continued to struggle to free himself even though he knew it was useless to do so, and while the warriors never raised their voices, their chanting slowly became louder and louder as his chest tightened, making it harder for him to breath. The smoke entered into his lungs, then Hook suddenly began to scream in anguish as his head exploded in pain, the worst kind of pain he's ever felt within all the centuries he's been alive.


	11. Chapter 11

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Eleven

In Hook's past…

After the Indian Chief's daughter led both Captain Hook and Smee into their camp with their arms bound behind their backs, Chief Great Little Panther slowly stepped out of a tent as they entered and the old man looked firmly into the Pirate Captain's eyes in an attempt to get a read on Hook before any words were spoken. A few moments passed, then the leader motioned to his men and they reached out to untie the ropes to free the pirates until Hook swiftly raised his hand and hook to show he was already free, smiling smugly while he looked between father and daughter.

Killian spoke first saying, "Forgive me, but I've never been one for being held prisoner by anyone. I come in peace, I assure you. Chief Great Little Panther, might I ask where you got your name?"

One of the warriors standing beside their leader stepped forward and was about to strike Hook for his arrogance and the Chief immediately reached out to hold his man back, then walked forward himself as he answered, "I understand my name is not why you have come. The boy wishes for you to deliver a message. Why did he send you, rather than come himself?"

"Well, I suspect that has something to do with your strained relations," Hook responded while Mr. Smee remained standing nervously beside his Captain. "Both your tribe and the Lost Boys have been fighting to claim yourselves as Neverland's true rulers, yet both of you have failed to do so. Which, I will admit that is why my message for doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as it's clear that neither of you have good reason as to why you would help one another if one asked."

"Pan needs our help?" the Indian Princess asked in disbelief. "It's exactly as you said, Captain. Why would we help him when he would never help us if our roles were reversed?"

Another of the Indians stated, "Pan is villain. We won't help…"

Their leader cut his warrior off with a simple raise of his hand and then questioned, "And what is the child's message?"

"First, I will tell you Pan may look like a child, but I assure you he is a demon," Hook retorted in frustration and then slowed his breath as he continued. "I only work with him as a means to an end. As soon as I get what I want, I will leave this bloody island for good. He's looking for an answer. He seeks the gift of immortality. Apparently he's discovered that living here in Neverland won't actually help him to live young forever. A shame really, but alas… that is why I'm here."

"And should I give you this answer, would you not take it for yourself and become the immortal Peter Pan wishes to be?" Chief Great Little Panther asked as he moved to stand directly in front of the Pirate Captain and looked directly into his eyes once again.

Killian didn't look away from him as he replied honestly, "I have no desire for immortality. It isn't why I've come. I only wish to live long enough to gather my own answers so I can return to my land and get my revenge on the Dark One for taking my hand and the life of the woman I loved."

The Indians' leader nodded and then answered, "You speak the truth. For which I will give you the answer Pan seeks. But one word of advice, Killian Jones…"

"How is it you know of that name?" Hook asked in surprise. "Only the most trusted of my men and my first mate here know of my true name."

"My daughter, has a gift," the Chief responded. "She knows much, including that you would be coming here tonight to see us."

It was then that Tiger Lily held up a small bowl to her nose and mouth and breathed in deeply the smoke that rose from the incenses that burned within as her eyes suddenly became pure white, while Smee asked nervously, "Your word of warning?"

The leader looked between the two pirates as Tiger Lily remained within her trance, then turned to Hook again as he replied, "If Pan wishes to live for all eternity, then he must seek out the one with the heart of the truest believer. But Killian, I warn you that if you do this, you will never gain that which you truly desire. She will forever see you as that which you believe yourself to be and you will always be."

"I don't understand," Hook said again with confusion as he watched another of the warriors hand Tiger Lily a blank parchment while she began to draw with a quill. "I don't want anything other than vengeance. So long as I get that, I don't care about anything else. Not even that which happens to me. I loved a woman and she was murdered. If you believe another is in my future, you're mistaken."

"The choice is yours," Tiger Lily answered when her eyes cleared as she finished, then handed the parchment over to the pirate. "Do with the answers you've come for as you see fit, but heed my father's words. You have a chance to become more than you are, to find peace. If Pan wins, you will lose it all. Including that which you think you seek."

When Killian took the paper, he stared down at a sketch of the face of a young boy, then he raised his eyes to her as he questioned, "Who is this?"

She looked at him sadly as she responded, "You will discover that, in time. Now, you have your answers. Do with them as you will."

"Surely you haven't done so without expecting something in return?" Hook spoke once more as the rest of the tribe members stepped aside for the two pirates to leave in peace.

"All we ask is for peace," Chief Great Little Panther replied sternly. "Should Pan choose to invade our camp in the future, he will not like the consequences. Go in peace, Killian Jones."


	12. Chapter 12

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Twelve

"So, exactly what's happening to him?" Pan whispered to Tiger Lily as he leaned toward her, while everyone within the circle of flames kept their eyes trained on the Pirate Captain writhing upon the altar, screaming in agony for minutes until his body finally stilled other than from the tremors that continued to course through him, then Hook's eyes fell open slowly and those closest to him could see that they had become clouded over, his pupils having turned pure white.

"The black smoke has entered into his body through his nose and mouth in order to enter into his lungs," the Princess replied quietly while she slowly stepped up to the stone altar and reached out to lay her hand over Killian's forehead and chest as if to assure herself that their prisoner was still alive. "As I have the ability to see into one's past and future with help from the island's many plants and water source, blended with few of our prayers and chants, the carvings and symbols etched within my people's altar have the power to expand the ability into another lying upon the stone by way of punishment before my ancestors in our past would offer them up as sacrifices. As you can see, this practice hasn't been performed by our tribe for many years. We are not a cruel people. It has only been forced upon those who are evil or who have wronged us in the worst of ways imaginable, as he has when he murdered my father and our Chief."

Felix scoffed and then turned away from Hook to look at the Indians' leader as he asked with confusion, "How is forcing Hook to see into the future a punishment, other than it's obviously quite painful? What is he being shown?"

Tiger Lily looked over at him as she answered, "That which he most fears. Captain Hook is a brave man, not easily afraid. Yet every man is afraid of something. He is no exception. We believe our futures derive from that which we fear as we strive constantly to become better than what we fear to become. We strive to correct the mistakes of our pasts."

"And then what?" Peter continued to inquire out of curiosity. "Will you be killing him by stabbing him through his heart or perhaps even his hook to finish him once he suffers until your people's magic wears off?"

"Only if his heart doesn't give out first," she responded as she looked at Pan, then turned back to stare at their prisoner as she joined into her people's chanting.

The leader of the Lost Boys smiled cruelly and turned to his second as he replied, "Excellent."

Within Hook's mind…

 _A memory was suddenly forced into Killian's mind amongst the overwhelming pain he still felt even though he could no longer scream, as one of his deepest fears and regrets appeared from when he and his brother first had come to Neverland, as they arrived upon the top of a mountain where Peter Pan had guided them to so they could collect the dreamshade for their King as Liam pulled out the drawing of the plant while Killian spoke up saying, "Well, it certainly doesn't look like medicine."_

 _"You choose to believe that boy over our king?" Liam asked sternly as he moved in closer to observe the large plant._

 _"That boy... showed us the path to dreamshade," the younger Jones answered nervously, keeping his eyes on Liam. "Why would he lie about its nature?"_

 _Liam stated, "To keep it all for himself. You actually think our king would send us to retrieve something so dangerous?"_

 _Killian responded with worry, "I would hope not. This is not what I signed up for."_

 _"You signed up to listen to your king," the Captain of the Royal Navy replied more sternly, reaching out to touch the plant, then quickly stepped away._

 _"Because I thought he was a... a man of honor," his brother answered in frustration while he remained back, becoming more irritated as Liam continued to push aside his concerns._

 _The older man looked at his younger brother as he cried out, "He is."_

 _Killian continued to stand his ground as he responded angrily, "If this is a poison, it won't just end war. It will obliterate an entire race."_

 _"What do you know of any of this?" Liam asked coldly as he finally turned his full attention to Killian and walked toward him. "I'm your brother and your Captain. You will listen to me."_

 _"No," the Leftenant replied steadfastly. "I'll fight my enemies, but I'll fight fair."_

 _Liam scoffed as he rolled his eyes and pulled out his sword, then moved back toward the plant again while he answered, "Then allow me to disabuse you of that notion."_

 _When the older Jones cut away a smaller branch of the dreamshade and started to slice it across his arm, Killian quickly tried to stop him as he objected, "No, brother, don't!"_

 _"You see?" his Captain said again after he grunted from the pain of cutting into his skin, then held his arm out so Killian could see the laceration better until he turned back to the large plant in attempt to continue to cut it away. "Perfectly fine. I told you, our King would never lie to us. Now let's collect our specimens and get off this..."_

 _"Liam?" Killian stated fearfully after his brother suddenly inhaled sharply before grunting in pain and gasped while he slowly turned around to face his brother while black striations slowly began to form over his arm as poison began to spread._

 _The older Jones brother weakly gasped, "Killian."_

 _Killian rushed to his brother's side and pulled him close as he cried out, "Your arm!"_

 _"I'm sorry, brother," Liam whispered weakly as he struggled to breathe while the pain continued to worsen until he lost consciousness and his head fell against Killian's hand that held him._

 _"No," the younger Jones brother cried fearfully. "No! No!"_

 _Killian struggled to pull Liam more off the ground while his voice broke as he pleaded, "Come on. Liam! Hey. Hey. Let's get you back to the ship. Come on. Come on."_

 _All of a sudden, the boy who had tried to warn them as they first stepped foot upon the island appeared before the brothers again as he spoke up saying, "I tried to warn you. He'll die as soon as the poison reaches his heart."_

 _"Please," Killian begged as he looked at Pan with fear while he kept his hold on the older man on the ground. "He's my brother. He's all… all I have left."_

 _"Well, maybe you shouldn't have goaded him into it," Peter responded cruelly while keeping his eyes on the brothers._

 _The Leftenant with the Royal Navy replied in despair, "He's so stubborn. I didn't mean to. Can you help me?"_

 _The child sighed deeply and then he answered, "Well, I might not feel like it, but today's your lucky day. There is a way to stop him from dying."_

 _"Tell me," Killian immediately responded as he stood up again before Pan._

 _"This spring…" Pan began to reply while he walked in front of the dreamshade plant, then waved his hand over it as it parted to reveal water flowing from the mountain before them, then he continued to explain. "These waters are rich with the power of Neverland. It's what keeps this land and all on it so... young. If one was to drink directly from it, its power could cure any ill."_

 _The younger Jones looked at the magical child as he whispered with sincerity, "Thank you."_

 _When he walked around him to get to the spring, Peter reached out to place a hand on his shoulder and stated, "But... I must warn you. All magic comes with a price, and that spring is no exception. Don't leave the island unless you're willing to pay it."_

 _"Of course," Killian quickly answered. "Whatever you want, it's yours."_

The images finally faded into blackness while his thoughts reeled from the memory and fear of losing his brother until the blackness disappeared when Killian saw himself standing upon the Jewel of the Realm, watching his brother's body being dumped into the ocean, then he turned to the crewmen he was now the Captain over. He watched closely while he warned the men of the dangers of the island they had left before Liam had died and renamed his ship the Jolly Roger, then proclaimed himself no longer their ruthless King's Captain, but a pirate as he vowed to avenge his brother. Liam's death made him a pirate and was the beginning of his downfall into becoming the vile man he had become.

 _"Milah!" Hook heard himself shouting as his memory changed once again when Rumpelstiltskin magically thrust his hand through Milah's chest while he attempted to save her, but the villain used his magic to bind him to the mast, the ropes wrapping across his chest to keep him in place so that he couldn't help the woman he loved._

 _Rumpelstiltskin suddenly ripped her heart from her chest, causing her to pant in pain while Hook could do nothing, but watch as he cried out with fear, "No!"_

 _After a few moments, Hook finally managed to break himself free from the ropes, causing one of the hooks attached to the mast to fall to the ground, then ran over to Milah as she gently reached her hand to touch his cheek while she looked into his eyes and whispered weakly, "I love you."_

 _"You may be more powerful now, demon," the Pirate Captain said coldly after he was forced to watch while Rumpelstiltskin crushed the dark haired woman's heart into dust within his hand as he held her in his arms until she died. "But you're no lesser a coward."_

 _"I'll have what I came for now," the Dark One responded smugly, sneering at the pirate as Hook slowly rose to his feet while he glared at the villain before him._

 _Slowly making his way toward the monster, the Captain of the Jolly Roger replied angrily, "You'll have to kill me first."_

 _Rumpelstiltskin took a few steps back as he retorted, "I'm afraid that's not in the cards for you, sonny boy."_

 _"I want you alive," he continued as he swiftly drew his sword and cut off Hook's hand he believed was still holding onto the magic bean that he had initially come for, causing Killian to scream in agony, then breathed heavily through the pain as the monster held his blade against Hook's neck. "Because I want you to suffer like I did."_

 _"Killing me's going to take a lot more than that, dearie," the Dark One spoke again after he had turned to go until Hook grabbed the hook that had fallen onto the deck and then stabbed Rumpelstiltskin with it, thrusting into his chest in attempt to kill him as he had killed Milah, though thanks to his power, no harm was done._

 _Captain Hook glared at him as he cried out angrily, "Even demons can be killed. I will find a way."_

 _Just before he vanished within a dark red cloud of smoke, Rumpelstiltskin sneered at Hook as he answered, "Well, good luck living long enough."_

His memories changed and Hook found himself once again onboard his ship, while his crew tossed Milah's wrapped body overboard just as they had done for his brother years ago. As he watched her body drift away until the sea swallowed her, Killian held his left arm tightly against his chest, suffering through the anguish from losing his hand, pain that was no less than the pain he felt from the loss of his brother and the woman he loved. While Liam's death had made him a pirate, it was Milah's death that turned him into Captain Hook. Though to everyone who knew him, Hook appeared to revere who he had become, Killian truly despised and feared the villain unleashed as the many tragedies of his life destroyed what little good was left inside of him.

 _"Hey!" Smee, the little man Hook had taken hostage earlier to get the magic bean from in the first place, swiftly shouted through his gag from behind the Captain. "Hey!"_

 _"Allow him to speak," Killian stated as one of the pirates removed the gag and untied him._

 _The man rushed over to stand before the Pirate Captain as he continued sternly, "I want my bean."_

 _Hook looked outward, then back at his prisoner as he responded, "Let me tell you how it works on my ship. I make the demands, you follow them. Bean's now mine."_

 _"You have to give me something for it," Smee replied with frustration._

 _"Oh, I will," the man in charge answered coldly. "Your life. A chance to join my crew."_

 _The smaller man responded brusquely, "So, instead of the promise of eternal life, I get to scrub blood off your decks? How is that right?"_

 _Killian looked around him again and then back at Smee as he asked, "Well, what if I was to tell you I was about to set sail to a land where none of us will ever grow old?"_

 _"Where I can discover how to get my revenge on Rumpelstiltskin," he added as his eyes darkened upon mentioned his darkest enemy's name._

 _"Guess I could live with that," Mr. Smee replied smugly, looking up at the Pirate Captain eagerly._

 _Hook smiled again as he said, "Good. What's your name, sailor?"_

 _The little man spoke again saying, "William. William Smee. Can I have my hat?"_

 _"Well, Mr. Smee…" the Captain of the ship started to answer as he gestured to the pirate currently wearing Smee's hat, who then tossed it over. "Welcome aboard."_

 _"Harden up and get ready to set sail, mates," Killian called out to his crewmen after throwing the magic bean he still possessed into the ocean ahead of them, having had tricked the monster who had stolen his hand when he disappeared, then a giant whirlpool opened up as Hook made his way to stand at the wheel while the rest of the pirates worked to ready their ship like their Captain ordered. "There's bumpy seas ahead!"_

 _Now wearing the red knit hat once more, Smee looked out at the newly formed portal, then he rushed toward Hook as he questioned curiously, "What's the name of the place we're headed, Captain?"_

 _Captain Hook stared darkly at the brace he was now wearing over the stub left behind in his assault, attaching the very hook he had tried to kill his Crocodile with into it with a click to replace his missing hand, then the pirate spun the wheel to direct the Jolly Roger into the magic portal to a new world as he responded smugly, "Neverland."_


	13. Chapter 13

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Thirteen

Centuries ago…

Over the next few nights upon returning from the Indians' camp, Killian remained alone within his quarters upon the Jolly Roger as much as possible while he contemplated over both Tiger Lily's and her father's words. Mr. Smee could tell they had deeply troubled the Captain far more than he would admit. When Pan first confronted him as he arrived back at the Lost Boys' camp, the boy had asked Hook what he had learned from the Indians' Chief and daughter, but all Hook told him was that his answer laid with the heart of the truest believer.

Though Pan suspected that Hook was holding something back, but didn't push him on the matter and allowed the pirate working for him to leave his camp, then ordered two of the boys to keep their eyes on the pirate, to watch him everywhere he went should he do anything suspicious.

Finally, the short man wearing his red knit hat walked down to the closed door of his Captain's quarters and knocked and when Hook called out that he was free to enter, Smee kept his eyes on the man before him, noticing that he was once again staring at the sketch of the boy Tiger Lily had given to him.

When the newest deckhand didn't speak right away, without turning to look at him, Hook spoke up first as he asked in annoyance, "I don't suppose there's a reason why you've come to disturb me this evening, Mr. Smee? I thought I made it clear that you were to help a few of the other men scrub the decks."

The other man nervously responded, "Yes, Sir. I mean… I finished doing so, Captain. I just… I noticed you seem to be a bit troubled. Those things the Indian Princess and her father said to you really got you thinking, didn't they?"

"My troubles are of no consequence to you," Killian answered sternly when he finally turned around to look at his friend, though he would never actually admit he had quickly come to like Smee more than any of the rest of the pirates who worked under his command. "I prefer to be left alone. Go… do whatever it is you want to do and do not disturb me again."

"Yes, go about your own business and leave us alone to talk about our own," Peter Pan replied when he unexpectedly appeared within the quarters, causing Smee to jump upon being startled by the boy's sudden presence while Killian simply sighed in frustration as he collapsed upon his bed to wait for Pan to talk first once his man turned to leave. "I really don't understand why the fat man wears such a hideous hat."

Killian leaned back against the wall of his ship behind him as he looked at the demon and asked, "Is that really why you've stepped onboard my ship without my permission, or have you actually come here to ask once again for my services?"

Pan smiled as he responded smugly, "I have, Captain. Your services that is. I just think that man's hat is ugly, that's all. I'll be going with a few of the Lost Boys into the Indians' camp tonight. I suspect that the Chief or Tiger Lily are hiding something about the information I sent you in to collect for me. The heart of the truest believer? How is that an answer?"

"I simply told you as they told me," Hook answered as he stared down at his hook he held against his chest. "I doubt you'll get any more out of them than I could. Charging into their camp is a mistake. You think your relationship is rocky now, just wait. Is risking your life and the lives of the boys under your charge really worth this trouble?"

"Worth the trouble to gain eternal youth, you mean?" Pan stated as the Pirate Captain stood again before the island's sovereign. "Surely you of all people would understand that when there's something you want more than anything else in the entire world, then there's nothing that you won't risk. Don't you, Captain? Get ready to leave and meet me and the boys at our camp in ten minutes."

A few hours later, Pan, Hook, and four more of the Lost Boys including Felix and Rufio arrived within the outskirts surrounding the Indian camp as several warriors stepped out from behind the trees surrounding them as they all rose their own weapons to defend themselves should either rival start an attack against the other.

Tiger Lily then walked out among them herself as she looked among the boys until her eyes stopped on the pirate, then she asked, "Was your answer not clear enough, Captain? Why have you returned, and with them?"

Before Hook could say anything, Pan stepped forward as he replied haughtily, "Forgive me, Princess. Captain Hook here has indeed given me the answer you gave to him for me. But I wished to speak to you myself, as your answers were very vague."

"I have no control over what it is I'm shown, even when I seek for one's future," she responded sternly as she turned to the other leader standing in front of her. "I believe you already know this. Neverland's magic does not work exactly as we want, but as we need it to. And if it fails us, then we have become arrogant and we are no longer in the island's favor."

"But the heart of the truest believer?" Peter asked curtly. "Really? Surely you can give me something more than a prophecy with only a few words."

The Indian Princess looked again at Hook with surprise as he turned his head away, but before anyone could talk again, Pan suddenly whistled as several more of his army of Lost Boys jumped out and ran into the outskirts, startling Hook as a fight broke out all around him when each of the tribal warriors defended themselves against their attackers, and defended Tiger Lily as best as they could. Many Indians fell, but they allowed for their Princess to race back to their camp where she could assemble more warriors to continue to defend them, especially their Chief and her father.

Hook fought against each of the warriors who attacked him as he struggled to make his way through the battle around him as he ran into the natives' camp to find Tiger Lily again and when he did so, he swiftly knocked one of the Lost Boys attempting to kill the young woman unconscious using his hook, then she glared at the pirate while she questioned angrily, "What have you done? I thought I saw something different in you. Though I saw your darkness, I believed there was more to you. But instead you lead Pan and his own warriors here to kill my people?"

Killian shook his head as he answered, "I didn't know Pan was planning to wipe out your people. I never wanted this. Why do you think I saved you just now?"

"It doesn't really matter," she replied coldly and rushed past him to try to look for her father. "Perhaps this could have been avoided if you had actually given Pan the sketch I gave you along with the prophecy."

"Forgive me, but I believe it was you and your Chief that warned me what would happen should Pan get what it is he wants," Hook responded coolly as he followed behind her until he was suddenly attacked again by another of the Indian warriors and concentrated on trying to defend himself while Tiger Lily continued her search.

The Lost Boys continued their brutal attack against the Indians while the natives defended themselves as they did. Many on both sides were killed, but Pan was seeking to rid the island he believed was his to rule alone of the Indians' leader once and for all. So when he saw Hook fighting against a warrior trying to defend himself against the Indian from where he stood in the midst of the battle several feet away, then come face to face with the tribe's Chief as two more of the leader's warriors fought to help him to flee to safety, the demon child as Hook called him smiled and swiftly flicked his wrist.

When Chief Great Little Panther appeared before him, Hook rose his sword to defend himself when the warrior with him attacked, but quickly knocked him out cold and turned back to the Indians' leader as he said with sincerity, "I promise you I mean you no harm, but I'm not prepared to die just yet either. I can help you get to safety."

The Chief looked at the pirate sadly as he answered, "I'm afraid not. It's my time. I am prepared. Be careful, Captain Hook. Your future depends on your choices from here on out."

"I don't…" Killian tried to reply until a second warrior rushed toward him as Hook swiftly killed him, then turned back to fight off another by thrusting his hook deep into the man's chest.

"No," he whispered regretfully as he blinked and saw that the brave he had just run through with the piece of metal replacing his left hand still buried within his chest was Chief Great Little Panther, not one of the leader's warriors fighting to defend him as Hook believed he saw him as moments ago.

All of a sudden, Tiger Lily screamed, "Father! No!"

When the Princess and the Indians' new leader ran toward her father and the man who had just killed him, as did two more of her people, Hook ran from the camp as quickly as he could, knowing that if he stayed any longer he would be killed. The pirate didn't know where he was running to, but he didn't care. He just ran until he finally came to the edge of a cliff and froze.

While he looked around him in search for another way down other than by jumping into the ocean below, it was then that Rufio appeared behind him as Pan's second in command glared at the Captain as he called out, "I didn't think you had it in you to kill their Chief, Hook. It appears you are more ruthless than I initially believed. Good for you."

"Aye," Killian answered coldly as he glared at the boy now standing before him, then he noticed Pan's shadow fly overhead from the corner of his eye and continued to threaten the boy even though it was only a ruse meant to deceive the shadow so that Pan would come to believe that Rufio was really about to die. "I tried to tell you. I am every bit a villain as is your Pan. And now it's your time to die too unless you agree to move out of my way. I won't allow the natives to take my life, not before I've gotten my revenge on Rumpelstiltskin first."

"You can try," Rufio replied and then thrust his sword at Hook, who easily deflected it with his hook, then raised his own as their blades clashed, as a battle between them began while Tiger Lily appeared upon the cliff as well, watching the man who murdered her father and the boy who she knew was Pan's right hand duel one another before her.

Suddenly, Felix ran out and froze upon seeing Hook and his brother fighting, then rushed forward to fight against the pirate at Rufio's side. It had become more difficult for Killian to keep up with his end of their deception, but he was able to hold his own against the brothers as his height over them, his years as a pirate, and of fighting within the Royal Navy gave him the advantage over them. Finally, Hook was able to knock Rufio to the ground, though he wasn't sure if the boy was actually on his side any longer, then turned back to Felix and suddenly disarmed him too.

Tiger Lily hid herself within the brush where the cliff began while she watched nervously when the Pirate Captain raised his cutlass to Felix's throat as he slowly made him walk back toward the edge of the cliff, then was about to strike him down until all of a sudden, Rufio got back up to his feet and rushed between Hook and his brother, just as Hook's blade entered deep into Rufio's stomach instead.

Killian and Rufio locked eyes in fear for seconds only while Felix froze in shock upon seeing his brother become wounded, then Hook pulled his sword free as Rufio fell backwards off the cliff and into the water below. Felix screamed as he watched his brother fall, then immediately pulled a dagger from his belt and attempted to strike down the Pirate Captain until Hook blocked him and raised his sword again, using its hilt to swiftly knock the Lost Boy unconscious.

When Killian fled, having not seen Tiger Lily at all as he passed by where she was hiding, Felix awoke and weakly stood to his feet, then chased after his brother's murderer. The Princess stepped out and ran to the edge of the cliff, then jumped into the ocean to try to save the boy. It wasn't because she cared about his life, but should he live, the Princess knew she would be able to save him so that she and her people could use him to gather information about Captain Hook, as well as Pan so that one day she would avenge her father.

Four nights later…

Pan gathered all of the Lost Boys who survived the battle against the Indians together and while they began to shout and argue amongst themselves, still angry over their losses, Pan simply smiled as Hook suddenly walked into the center of their camp along with Smee and a few other pirates, for his own protection. He didn't appear happy about it, but the boys' leader certainly did.

Felix immediately pulled his dagger upon seeing Hook enter, but was swiftly forced to drop the blade before he could move to attack his enemy as the pirates all raised their pistols and muskets at him and the rest of the children surrounding them, warning them that they wouldn't allow harm to come to their Captain.

Pan laughed and then spoke up saying, "Everyone just needs to relax and listen very closely. Yes, the Captain here has murdered our friend and my second in charge. Rufio will surely be missed, but Hook's services are still necessary. He has proved to me that for now, he can be trusted again, as he's given me a parchment which he held back before when he shared with us the answers from Tiger Lily.

When he held up the piece of paper to show the Lost Boys the sketch of another boy's face, their leader continued, "This boy, has the heart of the truest believer and one day we will find him. However, Captain Hook might just be the only one who can help with that, since we can't yet leave Neverland without losing our lives."

"Are you saying you're giving me and my men permission and the means to leave this cursed island?" Killian asked skeptically while he glared at the demon.

"I suppose I am," Peter said smugly. "However, you need to continue to prove your loyalty to me a bit longer before I can trust that you will actually return from your travels when my shadow calls on you. I'll let you know what I need. Listen up everyone, no one is to harm Hook or the rest of his crew because if you do, then you will suffer for it. We all have work to do. Don't worry, what we get when we succeed, it will outweigh our hate for one another until this truce between us is no longer necessary."


	14. Chapter 14

Nothing But a Pirate

Chapter Fourteen

Present…

Emma remained quiet while she walked behind Rufio, Neal, and Tinker Bell as they led the Savior and her parents though the jungle toward Skull Rock. David and Mary Margaret became more and more worried for her the longer they traveled, as they could see how stressed their daughter was while they understood her silence, as not only was her son in danger even if for now he was safe, but because a friend, whether she would admit she considered Hook a friend or not, was in danger too.

"I don't understand," Mary Margaret said to the former Lost Boy quietly in order to break the silence that had fallen over them. "Why would you pretend to be crazy if everyone other than the Indians believe that you're dead?"

"I started to act crazy before Hook nearly killed me because I thought it would help our deception better if they believed I couldn't possibly have survived a fall like we planned due to the fact that I was going crazy," Rufio answered curtly. "That, and I wanted to know if what Hook told me about my brother was true. I figured acting nuts would make Felix less nervous to try to kill me if that was his plan, then he would have been if he believed I was still as dangerous as I could have been. Pan and the others also spoke more freely while I was around, as they believed I wasn't paying any attention at times. It turns out that Hook was right. Pan was manipulating Felix, hoping to get him to kill me. But when the time actually came, everything went wrong."

It was then that Emma spoke up as she asked, "What do you mean everything went wrong? Is it why Hook believes he actually killed you?"

The boy sighed in frustration and then replied, "Yes. We attacked the Indians, us and Hook per Pan's orders. I don't think Hook actually knew that we were going to, but once the fighting started, he not only killed anyone who got in his way, but he also killed the Chief, Tiger Lily's father like I told you he did. That's why Pan has brought him to the Indians by now. And why they will have most likely begun to torture him. After he broke free and ran, I followed after him and we pretended to fight each other on a cliff. He was supposed to make it look like he stabbed me for the benefit of Pan's shadow as it watched from nearby. But then Felix interfered and he and Hook fought for real. In a moment, I saw my brother as a pirate was about to kill him and I couldn't help, but react. I ran in front of Hook's sword and he actually stabbed me and then I fell. That's why he thought he killed me. And he would have if Tiger Lily hadn't been watching also, then jumped into the ocean after me. She saved me because she wanted information, which I gave her. It didn't do her much good though. Pan is always two steps ahead of everyone and Hook eventually found a way out of Neverland and never came back, until now. Hook's a villain just like Pan and the rest of the Lost Boys. I don't understand why people like you, who proclaim themselves heroes, would want to help someone like him."

"Because you're wrong about Hook," Tinker Bell responded firmly. "He might have been a villain like Pan, but he's changed. I've seen it. We all have even if some of us aren't willing to believe it."

"I get it, all right?" Neal stated as he scowled at the Green Fairy in frustration, knowing that she was directing the comment at him. "But it's going to take more than a couple of good deeds to make up for the wrongs he made against me."

Charming looked at the older man as he answered, "Hook got himself caught trying to save your son. I should think that's a good start."

Both David's wife and daughter looked back at him with surprise, then Snow replied, "I have to say I wouldn't think you'd be so quick to defend Hook."

"Believe me, I'm just as surprised as anyone," he responded and continued to walk alongside the women in his life. "I've made it quite clear how I feel about Hook, but I remember what he told me on our trek to get the cure for dreamshade. Hook told me about how he was risking his life every moment he was here upon the island aligned against Pan. I didn't really understand what he meant by that until now and I also know that I owe it to Hook to save him as he did for me. Especially since Pan offered him a chance to leave Neverland if he killed me to prove his loyalty again to him and Hook didn't take it."

"You never told us that," Emma said worryingly while she looked back at her father, then turned back to the path ahead. "I just want to rescue him and Henry and then get the hell off this island. After that… Well, I don't know what's going to happen after that. But it's my job to save everyone, isn't it. No matter what we all might think of Hook or anyone else. That's why Rufio here can return with us if he really wants to be free of Pan for good. How much further is this Rock?"

The Lost Boy looked around him and then answered, "We're not far now. I think Baelfire and the fairy can take you from here. If you don't mind, I'd rather no one learn I'm alive. You know where to find me when you're ready to leave for home. I'll have my answer for you then. I certainly hope you have a plan to beat all of them."

As Rufio walked away from them, Tink spoke up again saying, "I think I do know my way from here. It's a large rock in the shape of a skull. We can't miss it."

"What if we're too late?" Emma whispered worryingly as she looked between both of her parents.

"We won't be," Mary Margaret replied sounding hopeful until all of a sudden, they all heard a sounds of people chanting loudly in the distance. "What is that?"

Neal turned his head in the direction that the chanting was coming from as he listened and then he responded, "That… is the sound of trouble. I don't think they've gone to Skull Rock after all."

David looked towards him and Tinker Bell as he asked, "Then where are they? And what are they doing?"

"They're performing an old native Indian ritual Tiger Lily's tribe used to do long ago in the days of her ancestors," the Green Fairy answered nervously. "I don't know anything about it really, except that if that's what they're doing, then Hook's in more danger than we feared. We need to hurry."

Meanwhile, within Hook's mind…

 _"I need something else," the Pirate Captain heard the Crocodile say when the images changed again, the very monster who haunted him more than anything or anyone else could as Rumpelstiltskin in the form of Gold stood with his back to him while he was bound to what appeared to be a large gate behind him, though the images revealed a moment Hook couldn't remember, a moment he realized then was an incident he feared was in his future as Tiger Lily had explained to him would happen before they began his torment. "A secret ingredient. One I didn't know about… until an associate clued me in, a heart."_

 _While Gold slowly turned around to face him, Hook watched and heard himself as he firmly replied, "Well, if you need my help procuring it, know the only help I give you is with your demise."_

 _Mr. Gold responded coldly, "Oh, you're gonna help me, all right."_

 _"Ah," Killian chortled with disbelief as he smiled, believing for a brief second that his enemy had gone mad, as Hook would never agree to help him, except for when he did so to offer his services to help him and the heroes save Emma's son from Pan._

 _"You see, this spell is gonna finally separate me from the dagger so it no longer holds power over me," his captor continued while he glared at the pirate before him. "But to cast it, I need the heart of someone special, someone who knew me before the dagger… Before I was the Dark One. Unfortunately, everyone who fits that description is already dead, but one still lives."_

 _When he finally understood what the Crocodile wanted, Hook began to struggle against his bonds while the Dark One slowly approached him, then he stated fearfully, "No. No!"_

 _When his enemy was standing directly in front of him, Gold answered, "Yes. As luck would have it, dearie, you're my oldest friend."_

 _"Agh!" Killian screamed in anguish as the monster suddenly thrust his hand into his chest and ripped out his still beating, glowing heart just like Rumpelstiltskin had done centuries ago to Milah, then crushed it while Hook was helpless to stop him._

 _"Get on with it, then," Hook said angrily, struggling against his pain while he looked up weakly into the Dark One's eyes. "Just do it."_

 _Gold glared at the pirate as he sneered cruelly, "Oh, no. I promised you we'd have some fun first. You're gonna do everything I say because you're my puppet now. You're gonna find another way to fill that hat with the power it needs. And then? Then I'll kill you."_

While the chanting was sustained behind them on the other side of the blue flames and smoke that surrounded them, Tiger Lily, Pan, Felix, and a few others kept their eyes captivatingly on their enemy still lying upon the altar before them as his body remained within the trance, or enchantment he had been placed under. It was clear that Hook's torment was great as his body continued to tremble and writhe from the strain of the images being forced into his mind.

Though Hook's suffering brought no pleasure to the Indian Princess or even to her people, as pleasure wasn't the reason why she was torturing the man who had killed her father, it certainly brought immense satisfaction to the demon and his army of young boys who stood with her and her warriors.

 _The images changed as Hook found himself once more standing with the Dark One within what appeared to be a clock tower, realizing he was still within his future as he and Gold stared up into a bright purple light that now engulfed them while he spoke up saying coolly, "It's time."_

 _After he had set the dagger that the Dark One has been tethered to for centuries down a few feet away upon a crate, Rumpelstiltskin walked directly underneath the strongest power of the magic around them as it slowly began to work to release magic into the villain until he was suddenly interrupted when Emma and Mary Margaret entered into the room several feet beneath the platform where they were standing beside the large clock, causing both Gold and Hook to look down at the Savior and her mother in surprise upon seeing that they've come to try to stop him._

 _"Gold, stop!" Emma immediately cried out, as Killian could see that she was afraid upon seeing the Dark One about to crush his heart._

 _"I'm sorry," he replied cruelly with a laugh. "I can't. I've waited too long for this. And I'm too close."_

 _As Emma attempted to fire a burst of her own magic to try to stop him, Rumple swiftly froze her and the other hero before she could aim the magic, then he turned back to Hook as he stated smugly, "Well, maybe not everything has went to plan. But this next part… I'm really gonna enjoy."_

 _He smiled maliciously as Killian fell down to his knees while he screamed out again, then groaned when his anguish flared upon feeling Gold begin to crush his heart. However, before the vision could continue, the images changed again. This time, Hook found himself within a dark room and slowly rose to his feet while the darkness that created the Dark One suddenly began to surround and consume him as the worst pain he's ever felt in his whole life caused him to scream while he relived only split seconds of his worst memories once more._

 _At first he saw himself onboard the Jolly Roger, watching as Milah's heart was crushed by Rumpelstiltskin while he cried out, "Milah!"_

 _"You're no less a coward," Hook spoke again angrily after his enemy once again cut off his hand._

 _"I want you to suffer," the Dark One sneered._

 _Mr. Gold stood before him as he ripped out his heart while Hook was bound to the gate of the mansion and unable to save Emma, who was unwittingly about to become sucked into the sorcerer's hat, then Killian said weakly, "Just do it."_

 _The villain was squeezing his heart again as he responded, "I promised you we'd have some fun first."_

 _"Emma, please!" Killian cried out fearfully as he saw the Savior choosing to sacrifice herself to the darkness in order to save Regina._

 _"Hi!" an image of Rumpelstiltskin in his true form stated as Hook suddenly emerged from within the Dark Vault after he had become twisted into that which he feared more than anything else, and then finally all images faded as his vision became nothing but pitch black as they had faded before._

While those within the circle of fire were distracted by Hook's screams, the Indians and Lost Boys standing outside of the flames were suddenly attacked by the Savior, Baelfire, and David as they swiftly rushed forward and fought against them, then both Tinker Bell and Mary Margaret ran in to join the others.

The Green Fairy swiftly knocked a few of her attackers unconscious with a powder she had mixed earlier to make them sleep when their enemies immediately began to fight back against them, while Snow shot a few more arrows toward the boys and pinned them either to the trees behind them or to the ground to knock them down.

When Emma suddenly heard Hook begin to scream again, despite the warning shouts from bother her parents and Neal, the Savior suddenly jumped between the flames and raised her sword given to her by the pirate she had come to save, then fought against one of Tiger Lily's warriors as the Indian charged at her. She knocked him back, but as she took him down, Felix came up behind Emma and was about to strike her down until all of a sudden, Tink appeared and blew the powder into his face as he fell to the ground unconscious.

The Savior turned around and came face to face with Pan once again as he too raised his own cutlass, then clashed it against hers. They fought while Neal rushed forward as the fire died because the chanting had finally ended while the heroes fought against the warriors. When he saw as another of the Lost Boys was about to shoot one of his arrows at Tinker Bell, Baelfire struck him down by swiftly picking up an arrow from off the ground and then plunged it into the boy's back before he could kill his friend.

She looked at Bae with surprise, then whispered, "Thank you."

Neal simply nodded and then turned back to Emma to find her still fighting against Peter Pan, as the Green Fairy immediately spun around and rushed over to Hook upon the altar in hope that she would be able to help him. Finally, when the rest of their attackers were all either taken down or those that weren't ran away, David and Mary Margaret rushed forward upon seeing their daughter in combat with Pan, while Tiger Lily stood still as she looked upon the heroes with admiration, especially the woman who she knew right away was the Savior that Pan had told her so much about and whom she had seen in her visions of the future.

Mary Margaret looked at the Indian Princess nervously as she spoke up saying, "You must be Tiger Lily. We don't want to hurt you, but we will if you force us to."

"Hook has suffered enough," Tiger Lily answered sadly. "He deserved to feel the pain he caused me when he murdered my father. But vengeance is not what I wanted. If you truly wish to try to save his life, I will not stop you… so long as you let me and my people leave here in peace."

"Of course," Mary Margaret replied quickly and stepped aside for the other woman to walk past.

While the Indian leader helped her warriors to rise from the ground and walked away without so much as another word, David, Neal, and Snow surrounded Emma and Pan as the Savior fell back upon being slashed across her arm. She cried out, but didn't falter in her stand against the demon before her.

David glared at the boy as he called out, "It's over. You've lost."

Pan smiled cruelly as he quickly glanced over at the Pirate Captain lying deathly ill upon the altar, then back between the Prince and the Savior as he responded, "You're right. This battle is over. Good luck with saving Killian. He was no longer of any use to me. I warned him what would happen if he turned against me. You only have yourself to blame for this, Emma. See you soon."

"We're coming for Henry!" Emma screamed angrily when Pan suddenly flew away, then she turned back to her parents and Neal until she suddenly remembered why they came as she rushed over to the altar to where Tinker Bell was trying to help Hook. "How is he?"

"Not good," the fairy answered sadly as the whiteness that clouded her friend's eyes slowly began to fade before they fell closed when Hook mercifully lost consciousness. "I can still feel the enchantment within him. I've heard rumors of the natives' magic, but I hardly know where to begin in trying to save him. He's very ill. I'm not sure… Wait, Emma you have magic within you. I haven't actually seen it, but Regina told me of your power and your strength. You're the Savior. If anyone can save him, it's you."

When the Savior took Hook's hand within her own as she felt the tremors coursing through him, Mary Margaret moved to stand beside her daughter and then whispered, "Tink is right. You can do this, Emma. You can save him."

The blonde woman shook her head as she replied with frustration, "You don't understand. I can't just turn my powers on like a light switch whenever I want to. My magic's hardly developed. Mom and Dad, you know this. I've only used it a few times and certainly never to break a spell over someone."

"What about us, and Henry?" David responded calmly. "You broke Regina's dark curse and the sleeping curse over Henry because of the magic that's inside of you. You can help Hook too."

"I don't even know what the hell's happening to him," their daughter continued to argue because she didn't believe in herself as everyone else who saw her as their Savior seemed to believe, including Hook.

The Green Fairy answered, "What's happening to him is that he's dying, Emma. If you don't try to break this magic's hold over him, Hook will die. You may be struggling with you feelings for him, whatever they might be, but it's clear to the rest of us that you at least care for him as a friend. And if you let him die… it will tear you apart inside. No one was more adamant in coming here to save him than you."

Emma sighed and then with frustration she replied, "You're right. All right, what do I have to do?"

"Just try to concentrate," Tinker Bell responded as Emma gently placed one of her hands over his heart and the other on the side of his head, then began to do as the fairy was telling her to do. "Focus on Hook and think about all he's done to try to help you, to try to help Henry, and how he saved your father's life. Think of the bond the two of you have formed. Let your magic flow through you and into him in order to force the dark magic out."

Time passed slowly as Tink fell silent while Emma continued to fight to bring Hook back and finally he gasped as he awoke suddenly, then the woman who freed his mind gently lifted his upper body up from the altar and pulled him to her, holding him close as he struggled to breathe through his pain in hope to reassure him that he was going to be alright now.

"Emma," he whispered weakly before she released him. "You truly are… the Sav… Savior. Thank you."

After David and Neal held Killian between them as everyone slowly made their way through the jungle in order to get as far away from the altar as possible, they found a small clearing where they could rest, but when the men gently rested Hook on the ground, it wasn't long before he stood uneasily again and walked away to be by himself for awhile until Emma appeared and sat down beside him. Neither one of them spoke right away, but she could see from the distance in his eyes that he was deeply troubled.

Emma finally broke the silence as she turned her head towards him and said quietly, "I'm not usually one to follow my own advice, but it usually helps to talk about whatever's troubling you. How are you feeling?"

Without looking back at her, he answered simply, "I'm fine."

"You're hardly fine, Hook," she replied worryingly, then turned her eyes down to his hand and noticed that it was still trembling. "I may have saved you earlier, but you're still sick and in pain, probably from whatever the hell the Indians did to you and from the lashes on you back. Don't think I didn't notice those. You paid a pretty heavy price for trying to save Henry tonight, or today… whatever time of day it is. I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't," Killian suddenly responded curtly. "You don't owe me any thanks, Swan. You and Neal still don't have your son because I failed. I truly appreciate you saving me. But please… forget about what you saw. I'll be alright, I assure you."

She remained quiet for a few minutes while she looked around her and then finally turned back to him again as she continued, "What you saw, what I saw when I reached into your mind to try to pull you back… That was somehow your future, wasn't it? I don't know how I know that, but somehow I just do."

Hook looked down with despair in his eyes as he answered, "Aye. Apparently their magic showed me my worst fears, both in my past and in the future as you saw. I saw what will happen if I continue to pursue my revenge against Rumpelstiltskin once our adventure here in Neverland is finally over. I will become the Dark One myself, the very monster I fear most."

"I felt your fear and pain, Hook," Emma replied sadly as she reached out to gently lay her hand on his knee. "I saw the darkness consume you as you relieved the memories and visions. I think I finally understand your need for vengeance, but is eternal pain and darkness really worth it? Don't lie to me. With or without my superpower I can always tell when you lie to me."

"Revenge is all I will have worth fighting for once you've all succeeded in rescuing your boy," he responded crossly until his eyes softened as he finally looked at the woman he was already in love with, despite her unreciprocated feelings towards him. "When I return you home to your little haven, I will do what I must and then leave. Face it, Emma. I'm a pirate and Neal loves you too. The best man has won. Besides, it's my fault that you all are in this mess to begin with. If I hadn't stolen the magic bean and absconded with it, then Greg and Tamara never would have been able to get their hands on Henry and we wouldn't be here. It's like you said before as we were about to enter Dark Hollow. I'm a pirate, love. And I'll never be seen as anything more than that by anyone. Perhaps I was all right with that once, but not anymore."

She looked at him sadly as he looked away again, then she answered with sincerity, "I was wrong to say that to you. And you're wrong about yourself, you know. Neal, David, Mary Margaret… They may always see you as a pirate who only cares about himself, although I think my parents at least might be starting to see you a little differently. But I don't. You tried to save Henry and you nearly died. You also saved my father even though you were given a chance to get off this island. David told me about Pan's offer. You saved him anyways. I won't ever forget that. I meant what I said that day in Granny's Diner. I told you that you could join us and become a part of something, which you have. And when you came back to help us, you told me that you just needed reminding that you could care for something other than yourself. You've proven that."

When he turned back to her, she carefully helped him to stand back onto his feet and then added, "This doesn't mean that anything will ever come between us. I also meant what I said to you and Neal about the only love I have room for in my life being Henry. But I do consider you a friend now, Hook. Thank you, for everything."

"Aye, you're welcome," Killian replied softly and then allowed Emma help him walk back toward the others so they could finally try to make a plan to save Henry at last. "Perhaps I was too hasty in giving up. You may not believe we could ever become more, Swan. But perhaps I still do. I won't ever stop trying to win your heart."

"You're hopeless," Emma responded as she chortled. "Just remember, you also have to win over my parents. Good luck with that."

The End


	15. Thank You

Thank you to all of those who have read and have written reviews for my story! They are much appreciated. I'm honored to have you all for fans and I hope to hear from you all again in the future, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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